Love and Doughnuts and Peace and Coffee
by DarkHiems-hime
Summary: Series of semiplotless oneshots, featuring VashxMeryl most of the times. Better explained inside. Check the first few to get an idea, please. :: Chapter 55: She really shouldn't keep on forgetting about Milly. It wouldn't do her any good. :: R&R!
1. Reading

**Dark:** Small series of "extended drabbles", if you will n.n because I need to get distracted by something and start with something light on the Trigun fandom xP before posting a longer fic, that is. It's coming, I tell you! xDD

Each one of these are mostly plot-less, but still have something that I call a semi-plot X3 Dunno how most will come out, but they'll all be randomly written, with random ideas as they come. And I've seen the original Anime version, so this will have one or two Japanese words. Vocabulary is at the bottom.

Just sit back and enjoy. Or so I hope.

And review, or I'll send a demented Knives after you. And no, not scantly clad with tight clothing either x)

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"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

**Disclaimer: **I'm 17. Now, do you _**really**_ believe I could ever own Trigun at the age of 8? Right, I don't own it. Unfortunately, mou. This is also the only disclaimer I'll make through this; it'll serve for all other chapters I'll post.

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**Key-word:** Adjusting  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Humour/General  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl, WolfwoodxMilly  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Meryl has a secret.

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ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº**Reading**ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº

There was a first time for everything.

Vash and Wolfwood had just returned from the local saloon, mostly in silence. Later that night, they found they shouldn't have.

Their greeting was rather rough after all. As the doorknob quietly turned and they both entered the dark room, the soft _ching_ and _click_ of more than one firearm sounded.

Quickly wanting to prevent any possible violent scene, one of Vash's hands ran over the wall as fast as possible for the light switch, flicking it on.

Facing the men, Stungun Milly and Derringer Meryl stood, grimly holding their respective weapons, the latter with one on each hand.

Then, just as quickly, the minister cracked up laughing for no apparent reason.

"Wolfwood-san, Vash-san!" Milly quickly shouldered the massive projectile almost at the same time, a smile brightening her previously serious expression. "Gomen na! But since you didn't say anything and we'd think you'd make a lot more of noise, me and sempai thought you were bandits! What's so funny?"

An eyebrow lifting, Vash silently thanked Milly for asking the same question he wanted to ask to the still laughing chain-smoking young man.

Taking a shaky breath and still chuckling a little afterwards, Wolfwood could do nothing but point, "I never knew, short girl!!"

The other two turned at the same time. And Vash widened his eyes, staring.

On the other hand, Milly saw nothing unusual, "Nani?"

Finally, something clicked in Meryl's mind. She easily passed one of her guns to the other hand and with her now free one, quickly reached to her temple, a blush quickly growing on her cheeks. Then, she stopped. _What's the use anyways… _"Oh please, Wolfwood-san… It's not that funny."

"Actually, it's kinda funny to know you use glasses, you know. Shows you're actually human and mortal like all of us."

"What exactly does that mean?!"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all!" the black clad male still had a large grin dancing upon his lips. "So really, why haven't we ever had the pleasure of seeing you use them before?"

"Sempai only uses her glasses at night, silly." The big girl added before the other could reply. She chuckled. "When she does our reports at night or wants to read, she puts them on."

"It's not like I can't see without them, but they're resting glasses, if you really wish to know. They diminish quite a few of my headaches, which I'm very much thankful for. I don't need to strain half as much." She huffed, which didn't have that much of an effect due to her still pinkish cheeks. "But I don't really like wearing them."

The outlaw fought down a twitch on the left corner of his mouth, "And why not, Insurance Girl?"

Meryl did a vain gesture at the priest, whom had resumed his chuckling, "Exactly because of _that_!!"

"Ahh, that was really funny!" Nicholas straightened up to his full height, cleared his throat a little and sighed, pleased. "So, big girl, I'm thirsty again after all this laughing. Have you got any of that wonderful tea you enjoy so much?"

"Well, there's not much left to tell you the truth… But I think there's enough for two more mugs!"

"Marvellous! See? The Lord told you to wait for me so that we could drink together."

"Honto des ka? I didn't hear anything…"

"He did, trust me."

Rolling her eyes at the retreating duo, Meryl turned on her heels to head back to her and Milly's room.

"Hey, short girl?"

She paused. "Yes, Vash-san?" her eyes caught his over her shoulder and the upper edge of her black rimmed glasses, blinking as she realized he was much, much closer than she had thought he was. Out of habit, one of her hands reached up, adjusting her specs before they fell lower on the bridge of her nose.

"You don't look bad in them, you know." An amused spark was dancing in his eyes. In the darkened room, they almost looked turquoise, which gave them a really mesmerising effect.

His real hand suddenly entered her field of vision and it took all she had in herself not to be startled; up till then, she had thought only his light hues existed. Two of his long digits slid upwards along her petite nose, adjusting her glasses yet again. She knew it was unnecessary, she had just done that, therefore she couldn't help but wonder why he did it. But the agent did not voice that.

Before he fully pulled away, his index finger tapped the very tip of her nose. "They suit you."

"Oh." She was thankful for the partial darkness his shadow offered her; maybe he couldn't see her blush. If he could, he said nothing about it. "Thanks…"

Meryl would make sure she'd "accidentally" come out of her room with her glasses on more often from then on.

_Owari_

_

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_  
**Dark: **Review please. This one has no justification, but I had to write it xP Things that come to me around 2am have a tendency to moan and whine till they're written, ya know X3 

**Vocabulary:****  
Gomen na: **Sorry.  
**Nani: **What.  
**Honto des ka: **Really.  
**Owari: **The end.

**Notes: **I believe it's obvious, but the **Key-word** part refers to one of the most important words through the drabble, the **Verse** is either the manga or anime verse and the **Warnings** stand for spoiler alerts or lack of them.


	2. Quadruplets

**Dark:** Sweet, short one, meant to be like that. It was gnawing at my brain while it wasn't written, so I had to give in x)

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"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

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**Key-word:** Identical  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **General/Humour  
**Pairing(s):** None  
**Verse:** Manga  
**Warnings:** None that I can think of  
**Summary: **A brotherly moment.

ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº**Quadruplets**ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº

His arm lifted.

Across from him, the other did the same, at the exact same time, in the exact same way, in the exact same angle.

His head tilted.

The other did the same, at the exact same time, in the exact same way, in the exact same angle. He noticed a few strands fell forward, probably because his hair was still wet from a previous shower.

How curious.

"Knives? What are you doing over there?"

Sapphire blue eyes glanced over a slender shoulder to his approaching twin. He smiled brightly, "Vash! Come here, see what I found out!!"

The young plant did so, sitting down beside the other already there. "Nani?" he curiously asked, blinking at the large full length mirror that stood in front of them.

"It does everything we do!"

Vash sweatdropped, "Brother, that's not like you… Rem showed us this months ago and you weren't half as astonished. 'sides, it's a pretty logic phenomenal; when the light hits the-"

"Baka, I know that." The older twin quickly dismissed him. Placing a hand at the back of his head, Knives brought him as close to the reflecting surface as possible. "Look. What do you see?"

"Uh, me?"

Exasperated, the lighter haired child sighed. Getting up and behind Vash, both hands hovered over his head.

The teal eyed youth frowned, "Oye, what are you-" the rest came out as a jumble of squeals and fussing about as Knives quickly and effectively turned the tidy spikes into a complete mess by tousling it this way and that. Just as quickly, he was facing the mirror's surface again.

"Now, what do you see?" his brother's excitement showed in his voice.

A bit annoyed, Vash huffed, "Someone who's going to tackle you at any moment now."

"Exactly!"

The younger one blinked, "Huh?"

Knives looked proud, "You don't see "you", you see "someone", ne!" he knelt beside him yet again, then pointed at them both and their reflection. "If you look really hard, you can imagine it's someone other than you!"

"It's kinda hard to, since they look so much like us, don't you think?" a golden eyebrow rose.

"So what if they're identical to us? We can always pretend we're quadruplets! We won't be so alone anymore, will we?"

The sceptic thoughts were quick to vanish. "Hey, you're right!"

From the doorway, dark eyes glinted in motherly pride and happiness, shoulders shaking in quiet mirth. Rem shook her head, ebony silky strands going with the movements.  
_  
Owari

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_  
**Dark: **Review please. Leave suggestions if you'd like to n.n 

**Vocabulary:****  
Nani: **What.  
**Baka: **Idiot.  
**Oye: **Hey.  
**Ne: **Similar to "isn't it".  
**Owari: **The end.


	3. Typewriting

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

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**Key-word:** Typewriter  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/bit of Poetry  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl, I guess, if you see it that way  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **A perfectly ordinary day of travel, nothing unusual about it. Or is it?

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ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº**Typewriting**ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº

"Oye, Insurance Girls!" a certain flaxen haired, teal eyed, young-looking gunslinger poked his head inside the two agents' room. Wolfwood was downstairs, already having breakfast by now probably, much to Vash's annoyance. It wasn't by choice that he was the one chosen to come get the girls this morning, but alas. And since the door was unlocked, it should be ok.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Vash-san!" Milly grinned at him, first through the mirror, then turning around and waving happily. The motion, however, caused her hairbrush to swing, as it was tangled in her hair. "Ita!-tatataii… Mou!"

The Humanoid Typhoon chuckled at the silly side, "Domo. It's breakfast time. Where's the short girl?"

"Oh, she's finishing her shower. She'll be right out. After all, she went in a little over an hour."

"Right." Vash sweatdropped. He'd never, for the life of him, understand that. It wasn't that the older woman took long in _showering_, but she took a longer time towel drying and taking care of her own hair. _Feh, I__'__ve longer hair than her and I take less than half the time __**she**__ does!_

"Anou, where's Wolfwood-san?"

"Already downstairs." _Where I should be too, but noooo, crazy girl had to decide to have a shower now…_ _Man, wish I could just leave them behind again, but Wolfwood forbade me to. _The story as to how or why for that fact would remain unknown to everyone though, for as long as he lived. Vash glowered, _For now, at least._ "You can go on; I'll wait for your sempai."

Finally free of the clutches of the evil comb, Milly tilted her head backwards and towards the bathroom door that was still closed. And locked as well. Some steam could still be seen coming off of it. Her stomach decided to make itself known then. "'k! I'll make sure to order your usual dose of doughnuts, so that when you get there, they'll be ready and warm for you, Vash-san!"

That quickly brought a wide grin to his lips, "Arigatou, big girl!" walking over to one of the beds (Meryl's probably, since it was already neatly made), he sat down while the other female went out. The bed hinges gave in to his added weight, said motion making a single pristine white sheet flutter down to the floor.

He blinked. _What's this?_ Curiosity picked, he lifted it to eyelevel. Vash knew that handwriting; it was clearly Meryl's. Barely anything out of place, neat, tall and elegant, he found it hard to connect it to Milly's character.

_I trace alone, in my engineer cubicle, the plan,  
I redefine the project, isolated here,  
Remote even from who I am.  
_  
_Uhh… _The outlaw frowned lightly, looking at the writing more cautiously. The motion caused a few corn silk coloured strands to fall forward to his forehead. _She…? I never would've said she had a knack for poetry._

_Beside me, banally sinister company,  
The cracking tic-tac of the typewriter.  
What a nauseous life!  
What abjection this regularity!  
In another time, when I was another, there were castles and knights  
(Illustrations, perhaps, of some childhood book),  
In another time, when I was true to my dream  
In another time.  
_  
Now that was a bit… well, not totally un-Meryl-like, but he doubted this kind of… depressing thoughts crossed her mind.

Not like this anyway.

His right hand placed itself under his chin in thought, _Maybe she has a more fragile side… One that eluded me before? She doesn't look like the type._

_(…)  
We all have two lives:  
The true one, which is the one we dream about during childhood,  
And that we keep dreaming about, adults in a foggy substratum;  
The false one, which is the one we live amongst one another,  
Which is the practical one, the useful one,  
One where they end up putting us on a coffin. _

In the other there are no coffins or deaths,  
There's only childhood illustrations:  
Big colourful books, to see but not read;  
Big colourful pages to later remember.  
In the other, we are ourselves,  
In the other we live;  
In this one we die, which it's what living means;  
In this moment, by nausea, I live in the other…

But beside me, banally sinister company,  
The cracking tic-tac of the typewriter-  
  
"Hey-!" Vash looked up when the sheet was unceremoniously ripped out of his grasp. His eyes locked with a pair of narrowed grey ones. Out of habit, one hand came up to scratch at his nape. "Short girl! Ohayo, hehe.." 

"Why were you messing around with my things, you broom head?" the woman walked over to her suitcase, taking out a thin manila coloured folder. The sheet easily slid into it and back it went to the light rose coloured luggage.

"Technically, it was on top of your bed for the whole world to see, so…" he put himself directly in between her and the door. If she decided to hit him, he could always make a run for it faster.

"Well, it's not anything personal…" Meryl gave a small shrug, for some reason avoiding his eyes. Draping her mantel over her shoulders, she slowly adjusted it around her. "I've a handful of poems like that. They all belong to a very well known, if very ancient poet. I do relate to him to a certain point. Only a few of his works remain as a memory… after the Great Fall, you know."

Something flashed across his own hues; luckily, she was still busy staring at her boots. He was glad for that. "But… why the tic-tac? The typewriter?"

She smiled then, looked into his eyes. "That represents the "present", in the poet's eyes. He tries to escape by using his imagination, as he goes about his childhood… but the typewriter, that tic-tac of the present time, is always snapping him back to reality, which sickens him." The insurance agent walked around him and towards the door, opening it. Resuming the eye contact over her shoulder, an undefined smile curved her bow shaped lips. "That's why he says in the end: "The cracking tic-tac of the typewriter raises its voice". The present time needs his attention. And he wants to remember and live in the happy past that he had instead." A soft chuckle. "Guess everyone tries to run away from their responsibilities, but can't, ne. There's always a rough wake-up call for them. For me, it's my own and very literal typewriter."

Vash could do little more than follow her. _Does she notice that she can be just as sharp as her partner?_ And as she muttered something about the weather, he smiled ever so faintly. _And be just as clueless about it too. Amazing. _

Owari

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**Dark: **Review, onegai. And you can leave suggestions, if you'd like n.n;;; And the poem used is _Typewriting_, by Álvaro de Campos, a.k.a. Fernando Pessoa. One of the greatest poets of all times.

**Vocabulary:****  
Ohayo gozaimasu:** Good morning  
**-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Itai:** Ouch.  
**Mou:** Sheesh.  
**Domo:** Hello.  
**Feh:** Pfft.  
**Anou:** similar to "Umm".  
**Arigatou:** Thanks.  
**Ohayo:** 'Morning.  
**Owari:** The end.  
**Onegai:** Please.


	4. The Thomas

**Dark: **Read and review, please be nice.

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"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

**Key-word:** Tenderness  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Romance/Angst  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Every morning, there's a handful of seemingly monotonous tasks to be completed.

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ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº **The Thomas **ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº

Every morning, there's always a handful of seemingly monotonous tasks to be completed. Some mornings, even more than that. But at least those, one has to perform.

Such as dressing, brush teeth, groom the hair, get the sleepiness out of the eyes, get some breakfast.

In the very least, those.

For the people who also had a thomas to take care of, it was more. Feed it, groom it, get it ready for one more day, warm its muscles, give it a treat. Another handful of tasks.

Both insurance girls, Vash had noticed sometime along the way, were very cautious of their rides. They took care of them to the last detail, it seemed. In fact, the plant did not remember many times when the large beasts had whined. They were well cared for, it was obvious.

Sometimes, Vash watched them both get the animals ready for yet another travel. Others, he only saw Meryl.

She was very thorough when cleaning hers. She had a soft sponge, a brush and a nice cloth, among other things.

The sponge would be gently moistened and ran over the rough muscles of the beasts' legs, over every crevice, fondly. The brush would run over the soft, yet coarse fur, letting it fall into its rightful place instead of being rumpled by the night's short sleeping hours. The cloth would be dampened with a certain liquid, which would then trace every little detail of the mask of its head, which was bone. The same was done to the handful of spikes of the tail with the utmost care.

All Vash knew was that the thomases loved the attention. Meryl's, whom she had called Lamecha, would go as far as to completely offer its head for the woman to reach the top of it. Sometimes, in rare occasions, he'd witness her reaching for another item and the animal's hard muzzle would gently knock against her back in what was surely a gentle and affectionate manner.

Then, she'd whisper soft apologies as she strapped the saddle into its rightful position and secured all her luggage in place. She'd let her lips brush over its furry neck as the bridle was put to coax it to part its lips and let the bit pass.

In the end, she'd offer a sugar cube, something the species almost literally died for. Lamecha's tail would move to and fro in a happy way as it munched away on the delicacy around the hard bit in its mouth.

Perhaps… Perhaps when this was all over, she would show the same tenderness to him. When he returned (if he returned) with his brother beside him (if he succeeded), he'd be tired, presumably, and maybe (most likely) wounded. Perhaps she'd take care of him in such a way too.

Run a damp cloth over his warming forehead, thread her fingers through his strands to coax him to fall asleep in order to rest, fondly fluff his pillows, pull the covers up to his chin, prepare him a light broth that he could keep in his stomach and try to offer her comfort and support as best as her stiff, business-like thoughts allowed.

Wishful thinking.

Perhaps she would fish out an apology and leave the room.

Just because he had seen Rem in her actions more than once, it did not give him the right to see her like his long lost "mother".

When these thoughts surfaced, as Meryl finished readying her thomas and checked Milly's, Vash would let his eyelids fall and turn his back on the scene, even if his sensitive hearing could pick up the soft, almost silent grunt coming from her as she mounted.

He didn't even have the right to watch.

Nor did he have the right to feel even more for her than he ever had for Rem. No, feelings such as these were very dangerous and his brother was still out there. He could not, would not, afford this.

Even if he was perfectly aware of her eyes lingering on his lanky frame. And the regular, tiny blushes she could not hold back here and there at a casual brush of a hand.

He was aware of her feelings for him.

But he couldn't allow himself to love her.

Like when he had run away from Knives after shooting him that first time, he realized (again) that he was a coward.

However, for the moment, until he faced his past, he would remain being one.

_Owari_

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**Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **45 hits, people. 1 review? That's all? When a person tries to give their all, they expect support, not indifference. Please, if you enjoyed reading, tell me so. If you didn't, do it as well. I've no idea if you're enjoying this or not, put yourselves in my position..


	5. Checkmate

**Dark: **Read and review, please.

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"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

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**Key-word:** Anger  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama  
**Pairing(s):** Hinted WolfwoodxMilly  
**Verse:** Anime  
**Warnings:** Reference to a much speculated fact at the end of the series.  
**Summary: **New Best Seller in Gunsmoke!_The Exception to the Rule: Milly Thompson_, by Millions Knives.

ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº **Checkmate **ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº

To Millions Knives, Milly Thompson was a walking, talking, complete enigma.

Talk about a complex simplicity…

The plant simply could not fathom how the woman could still move about like she hadn't a care in the world, go to work off in the no-named town, then come home, bring him dinner instead of the other human midget and redress his wounds whenever necessary.

As to why he did not comprehend, these are his reasons. For he considered himself an evolved being that only thought perfectly logical things and that female was all but logical.

The concept of Love was beyond the platinum blonde's comprehension, he could admit that. To himself, that is. At least, the love humans talked about so much, because brotherly love he could grasp and no one had the right to judge his love for Vash, because that was absurd and crystal clear. But by the looks of it, the lowly species had an enormous consideration for the emotion.

It wasn't much, but Knives had also caught a few snippets of conversations between his twin and the other woman; the larger girl seemed to be quite smitten with the deceased priest and by the looks of it, when he had indirectly killed Chapel, Milly had deeply grieved for the man.

Connecting fact A to B, it led to C: if she cared so much for the damn smoking human, _why_ exactly was she accepting his murderer in her house?

It was unreasonable. It was irrational. It was specious.

If the blue eyed male was in her situation (which he would never be in, but imagining he could be, like imagining that someone had killed Vash, which had almost happened by the way…), he'd do everything in his power to obtain revenge, to make the bastard pay, to make them suffer as much as possible, kill everyone they cared for in front of them while they begged, then finally kill them. Slowly. Not to mention torture them, but he was still recovering and could not over exert his still tender mind and body.

So really, _why_ did that stupid human didn't **do** a thing about her condition?!

His thesis presented and properly defended, he would then have to study this peculiar exception that went against every instinctive nature animals of the human species often manifested: Milly.

"Woman." The little one was still at the saloon, he was aware of that. His brother was also out, helping a neighbour; Knives could feel him at the back of his mind a few doors down from their house. "I wish to play chess." The obvious order _You are to play with me, __**now**_ was implicit.

However, Milly merely answered him with a prompt smile. "Chess sounds good! And it's been such a long time since I played… Mou, since sempai doesn't really like to play, ya know. I'll bring the board right away, Knives-san." Lifting the tray that had held a light afternoon snack, she got up and returned a few minutes later with an ancient looking chess board.

The pieces were quickly placed on their rightful places, the plant keeping the whites, the human the black ones. Reaching out with a still pale hand, the blonde moved one of the pawns with his long fingers, making the first move. "Why are you doing this?" his baritone barely changed, but Vash had warned him about civility. A little bit.

"You said you wanted to-"

"Not that." Irritation seeped into his voice now; his anger showed as one black chess piece literally went flying to the floor by a flick of his wrist. "_This_. Putting up with a slaughterer like me. The same one who killed the person you cared for the most. Yet I feel no animosity from you towards me. How is that possible? How are your reactions so far from the standards of your species?"

Careless of his fury, the auburn haired girl just blinked. She reached out, making her own move. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Vash-san and Meryl-san."

The same as the other human, was it? "Only out of your friendship for my twin, then?" that was understandable to him. And clearer. Good, good, it was-

"But I haven't forgiven you for what you've done to Boukushi-san. You were the one responsible for his death after all."

She connected the dots then. Yes, it was as he expected-

"But there's also something else."

-not? Ice blue eyes stared into her own light, light blue, searching, wondering. Then, they narrowed. Knives could barely grit the words out from around his disgust, "Are you implying you pity me, you lowly peon? How dare-"

"No, no, I don't pity you, Knives-san." Again, she smiled. More softly. It reminded him of the empty smiles his brother gave many, many times in the past. So carefree, but if one truly observed instead of only looking at it, it was so, so sad… "But you see… I think… that you have two personalities within you. One is cruel and heartless. But the other... the other cares. For Vash-san, but not only for him. And they're clashing all the time." She bit her lip. "I can see that in your eyes sometimes."

Still keeping his pale eyebrows furrowed and absently moving another chess piece, he replied suspiciously. "Oh? And who do you think will win?"

She answered with a confused glance, as if the answer was dancing right in front of his nose. "The one you feed will, of course. Ah, look!" her grin returned, perfectly in place and true. "Checkmate!"

_Owari_

_

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_

**Vocabulary:****  
****Mou:** Sheesh.**  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Boukushi: **rough translation of "Priest".**  
Owari: **The end.


	6. Flowers

**Dark: **One thing left to do: thank you for all the hits.

* * *

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Roses  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Drama/Poetry  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl? If you squint xD  
**Verse:** Anime  
**Warnings:** Demented homicidal plant coming up. Means nothing to you? Then, it has spoilers for you.  
**Summary: **Milly simply doesn't have a poetic streak.

ºººººº**Flowers**ºººººº

"_Gods shall not consent us anything more than life itself.  
We should refuse all that will rise us  
To irrespirable heights,  
Forever flowerless._

My, how pleasant." Meryl lifted an eyebrow. The newspaper of that day sure sounded cheerful, didn't it?

"Whoever the human who wrote that was, he is nevertheless right, I'll give him that." From his position at the head of the table, Knives casually brought his coffee up to his lips, taking a sip. Even if his movements were slow, they did not lose their arrogant kind of grace. Nor did the most recent dictator-wanna-be give up his ironic comments.

"Flowers do need to breathe too, don't they? So, it's normal that if they're in a place where we can't breathe, then they can't either, ne?" careless (or clueless) to the platinum blond's sentence, Milly happily added her own two cents.

"Maybe the author thought it was too sad a sight." Vash's voice sounded muffled, since said plant had his arm in the way. He had literally sprawled himself upon his chair, rested both arms over the table and buried his nose against his right elbow. "Somewhere where there's no chance that any flower will grow, that is…"

"Maybe he just didn't mean it literally."

Milly brought her mug down so that she could see the other woman once more. Or the top of her head, since the rest was covered by the paper. "What do you mean, sempai?"

Meryl blushed. Indeed, Derringer Meryl actually blushed. Though only if one looked real hard, it was only a rosy tinge dusting her cheekbones. At that hour in the morning, no one noticed; Vash was still half way to lala land, Knives kept his eyes closed (probably so not to look at the "spiders"; after all, he'd much prefer to be back in his room, but his twin insisted and his head still hurt a little from their confrontation, therefore he could give in just this once) and Milly did nothing to prove that she noticed. Which did not mean that she didn't, mind you.

The older female cleared her throat discreetly, "A-Anou… He could have referred to flowers, but not actually mean _flowers_."

"Then why didn't he choose another word?"

"Uh, I dunno… Perhaps he liked the word flowers?"

"But if you don't mean _flowers_ flowers, then you mustn't say it, because who hears you will understand something else, ne?"

The other sweatdropped, "Milly, I wasn't the one who wrote this, I'm just saying…" Damn, this was confusing her. And a confused Meryl at this time of the morning was **not** something pleasant.

Vash finally put a stop to the mindless argument by yawning not so quietly. "But then what did you mean by that, short girl?"

Said woman refrained from smacking him upside the head for the comment. It was still too early. And that took a lot of energy: getting up from her seat, reach over the table, smash the outlaw's head, smirk, say witty comeback, sit back down, sip coffee to prove she was in control. Nah, too early, too soon, too lazy still. "We all know how hard it is to grow flowers here in Gunsmoke, don't we? Roses, for example. At least, somewhere far from any nearby geo-plant. It's something that lasts for a very, very short amount of time." She shrugged, as if that was the simplest thing in the world.

"Err…"

"Umm.."

"So?" surprisingly, that came from Knives. Ever so briefly, he had graced them all with the great honour of opening one lid to glance sideways at the speaking human.

"So, it's a brief thing. Like the happy moments in your life, if you will." Meryl shrugged, "They pass quickly, in most people's opinions."

Silence.

Milly tilted her head to the side confusingly, "I didn't get it…"

"Milly!!" the elder agent let out; this was _soo_ embarrassing, "The flowers may refer to the happy moments in a person's life. In the poet's point of view, it's useless to go up to such heights, meaning, to make such a big effort, to go somewhere where it's impossible to grow flowers. Which means, where it's impossible to have happy moments there, by analogy! So, it's really futile in the end, in his opinion."

"Ah.. Sou ka! Though I still don't get why he uses the word flowers if he doesn't mean flowers…"

"…Just forget it, my friend." _She doesn't have an insight for poetic stuff…_

Both twins remained quiet, each lost to their own thoughts.

_She thinks… she thinks like __**her**__. _

Rem.  


_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****Anou:** Err.**  
Sou ka: **I see.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **The poem used belongs to Ricardo Reis, a.k.a. Fernando Pessoa, not me.


	7. Pets: Part I

**Dark: **Thank you for the hits and the two wonderful people who reviewed n.n

* * *

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Kitty  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** (post-) Anime  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Meryl would like to have a pet…

ºººººº**Pets: Part I** ºººººº

Meryl liked small, cute things.

Heck, she was small herself.

And Meryl had always wanted a cat for a pet.

She had a cat, once, when she was younger. She had been very, very sad when it died of old age a couple of years ago.

So, she had quite a surprise to find that, wherever Vash chose to go, a small kitty always seemed to greet them.

It was midnight black, with large, jade coloured eyes.

She liked to think it was female.

Hers had been. Only, it was white and light grey, but the eyes were the same.

"Hey there, kitty."

Said feline opened one single eye, very lazily. It made her feel as if said creature was making the biggest effort of them all and that she should _really_ feel honoured for this gesture of unfathomable gratitude from its part.

Honestly, maybe Millions Knives wasn't a plant and Vash's twin, but a feline too. He also made her feel like that.

Chuckling at her own private joke, she kneeled and scratched its head just behind the ears.

The little cat stretched out its front paws, claws peeking out and catching the last rays of sun, then started purring in pleasure.

Nah, Knives couldn't be like a cat. They were too easily pleased. And he was anything but.

_On second thought…_

The darker haired twin came back to mind. Perhaps _he_ was a cat.

Well, Vash was a hard-worker, true, but he could also be lazy whenever he wanted to. Very lazy. To the point of whining and moaning and refusing to leave the bed on weekends when Meryl wanted to change the bed sheets or clean anything.

She could also swear he did it to annoy her, because she **knew** he got up hours before her on the days he did go to work. And even on the days he didn't, because it was his routine to train three hours every single day.

But Vash was also very easy to please. One night, when he had come home at the closing time of the saloon with an already promising migraine (anyone could already imagine how the hangover would be like), she had left him a simple note on the table.

_Two spoonfuls of honey on hot cocoa, as hot as you can drink it. The honey is next to your doughnuts, I bought it earlier today.  
You'll feel better. _

Meryl 

Honey was rare on Gunsmoke, very rare. And quite a bit expensive. But Vash had woken up a bit more depressed than usual and she knew he'd go out drinking for sure the previous night.

So, she was one step ahead of him. For Milly, that was the miraculous cure she concocted for the big girl's hangovers.

On the next day, he still complained about a slight ache near his temples. But the smile he had offered her had taken her breath away.

_Yes_, she concluded, _Vash is quite like a kitten too._

"Mreow!"

"Ack!" Meryl brought her scratched, lightly bleeding thumb to her mouth. "Urgh… stupid, needle-noggin cat!"

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.


	8. Pets: Part II

**Dark: **I won't be here till next Sunday, so the next one should be out on Monday. Onegai, leave a few reviews for my own amusement while I'm away, will you? Pretty please? You know how lonely that violet little review button has been…

* * *

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Meryl  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** (post-) Anime  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **…Vash, on the contrary, wants only one single pet.

ºººººº **Pets: Part II** ºººººº

Vash also liked small, cute things.

He was tall and lanky, but the smaller things tended to give him the "I'm defenceless, protect me!" look, no matter how he tried to escape it.

Besides, opposites attracted, wasn't that what they said?

But Vash wanted a particular pet other than a cat, contrary to Meryl.

Actually, it was even more fragile than a kitten. It was black, but it was also creamy white, which was the colour it most preferred.

It also had these huge grey eyes that sometimes were indigo blue here and violet there. It had a petite, cute nose and a small frame, one that said to the owner that it needed to be well taken care of, or else!

Its features were also soft and gentle most of the times, the curve of the jaw, the bone structure…

Yet, it could be quite nasty too on a foul mood. One had to watch out for the fifty claws, for they were really, really dangerous.

Indeed, Vash had always wanted a Meryl for a pet.

Well, ever since he met one, obviously.

They were rare, but so short and adorable!

There were just so many advantages to have one too... Out in the desert, nights were very cold; it was nice to know he could snuggle into something warm, supple and soft.

He could convince 'it' to learn a few tricks as well and to quiet down when things got too loud or too aggressive. Meryls were a bit possessive and protective, you know. They were also very stubborn when they put their minds into it.

It would take a while to convince his brother to let him keep 'it', but it would be ok. He hoped.

He only had to let 'it' know he'd take good care of 'it' too. And he would. Eventually.

One had to win their trust first after all. And Meryls needed to know they were in (partial) control, so it was advisable to let them beat you around a little.

As Meryl muttered under her breath due to the sudden scratch of the cat, Vash chuckled and shook his head, watching from afar.

_Soon, little Meryl. I'll take really good care of you, you'll see._

Ah, Rem would be so proud of him.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Onegai: **Please.**  
Owari: **The end. 

**Dark: **Next chapter's keyword is Buckles.


	9. Underneath Your Clothes

**Dark: **I'm a bit happier, 5 reviews n.n But please, don't stop reviewing just because of that, the review button is **still** lonely. Really, it sent me a text message. Along with a Happy Christmas. Something that I wish for you all as well. This is my own gift for you, so be nice to me too.

Oh, and I changed the keyword. Hehe, it's the same one-shot, but I think this one fits better.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Trick  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** More like the Manga, due to a small detail  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Does Vash really need them all or are they just a fashion statement? Meryl wonders.

* * *

ºººººº **Underneath Your Clothes** ºººººº

During the moments when Vash the Stampede took off his red trench coat and they happened to be spending the night outdoors, Meryl would take the chance to sneak a peek. And wonder. Or she would only wonder when she passed by the men's hotel room's door and heard light voices, laughter and rustling of clothes.

_Just how long does it take him to undo all those buckles?_

There had been this one time when they had indeed spend the night out in the cold desert that she had caught him dressing that had been particularly interesting.

She had slowly woken up to the soft, rhythmic sounds of "Hup, hup, hup!" and only out of curiosity did she actually open her eyes to catch a glance of the outlaw performing his morning training session a few feet away, devotedly doing one armed push ups. Curiosity satisfied (and still too tired and sleepy to manage to keep on looking (she'd berate herself for it later on)), she had fallen back asleep. On the second time she woke up, it was to quiet, almost soundless clicks that echoed in the more or less spacious cave they had found. Meryl also picked up the faint scent of nicotine, which meant the priest was up as well.

The Humanoid Typhoon was calmly putting on his armour. His jacket, unbuttoned, was put on to only keep off the slight chill of the break of the day from the scarred, bare skin of torso. The soft clinks belonged to the handful or so of still unbuckled buckles of his pants. He was adjusting one on his left shin in a rather distracted kind of way. Even at this distance, she could see his eyes weren't focused. Suddenly, he yelped and rubbed the spot, hissing and cursing under his breath.

Meryl simply cracked up laughing. Most likely, the broom head had just pinched his own skin.

For the reminder of that day, Vash had sent her sulking, dirty looks.

Up till now, she still wondered why he had so many, if they were really all needed or just his own, odd fashion statement and just how long it took him to undo all of those buckles?!

That was really making her curious.

As Fortune would have it, later that day (or night), she'd have a chance to witness it.

When heartbeats slowed down a little and breaths were caught, Meryl would let her head fall into his warm shoulder. And a smirk would dance upon her lips.

"Mmm… Only 45 seconds, Vash. I knew there was some kind of trick to all those buckles…"

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end. 

**To Anonymous Reviewers:  
**Tenebrae Rosa: Sankyu! n.n And yes, you should do that xP

Nightheart: Last chap ended up not coming out quite as I had planned it, but I actually prefer it that way xD At least, I do think it's cute Thank you very much and come again!

(**Dark:** And next chapter's keyword will be Niceness, The-Quoi. At least, that's what I've decided today... xDD What do you think of that one? n.n)


	10. Female Jealousy

**Dark: **Keep feeding me reviews, please do xDD Ah, I know I said I'd update this morning, but I woke up rather late, so sorry. Here it is. Oh, and "Joana" doesn't belong to me either, she's just my sweet not-by-blood older sis that I love to death xDDD

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Niceness  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Romance/General  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Meeting an old friend.

* * *

ºººººº **Female Jealousy** ºººººº

With a personality such as his, it was clear, very clear, that he'd know many, many people.

To each city their little group visited, Vash would remember at least one person, almost every single time. He was just too nice. There were those times when they arrived too tired, too hungry or too in a hurry to actually look around and see what kind of people they were surrounded by, but when they didn't, it was sure to happen.

There were times when Meryl simply ignored all of that. Because there are always reports to fill out, sometimes in duplicate, and she had to be concentrated. Because there was always a way to prevent disasters and it was up to her to figure out how. Because there were always bounty hunters that stumbled upon them on every corner.

But damn, there were always those times when she just simply _didn't_ ignore all of that too.

For some weird, completely random reason, it was always when Vash recognized some woman from a few years back.

Of course, it was pure coincidence.

Obviously.

Damn his niceness!

"Nooo… Wait, wait, I **know** your name, don't tell me." One unique, sea green coloured hue closed while the other turned skyward and his lips curved into a quick, simple smile that radiated off warmth. "You're… Joana!"

The beautiful young girl across from him gave an elegant laugh. "Amazing!" she softly cajoled, "I'd say you've a photographic memory!"

"Mou, hehe.." the blond grinned in reply, "It's nothing, really. A small hobby of mine."

Off to the side, Meryl frowned.

Narrowed her eyes.

Fumed, with both hands aching to wrap about two trusty Derringers.

She did all that.

Damn him.

Why did he have to remember all of their names?

And why had he only called her by her own name once or twice?

However, Meryl failed to notice the brief looks the outlaw gave her every now and then through the talk.

She also failed to realize that the people he remembered about made part of his past, when he had helped them and they were his present then. Now, that had changed. Because **she** was his present. That and much more to his eyes.

She needn't anything else.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****Mou:** Sheesh.**  
Owari: **The end. 

**Dark: **Next chapter will be the sequel for this one piece n.n It will be posted tomorrow ;)


	11. Male Jealousy

**Dark: **Thank you for the hits and reviews. Hope you enjoy this one too. And the character you don't recognize is all mine xDD

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Detached  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Romance/General  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Meeting an old friend… On reverse.

* * *

ºººººº **Male Jealousy** ºººººº

With a personality such as hers, he never really thought much about her own connections. How many friends did she have. The earlier years of her life.

For Vash, the shorter insurance girl was born with tights, a cape holding her fifty Derringers over small, delicate shoulders, pretty golden earrings, short ebony coloured hair and an almost constantly present light frown in between greyish eyes.

But there was this one time, just once, when Vash the Stampede felt a weird emotion conquest at least half of his being.

It wasn't as if Meryl was some kind of detached person that did not care about people and did not have any friends, the gunslinger was quite sure about that. Or at least he thought he was.

But as they visited a remote little town in the middle of no where, Vash found that this particular fact about the short girl would have to change.

"Meryl? It's you, isn't it?"

The quartet, consisting of the two insurance agents, a man wanted for $$60.000.000 and a very, very suspicious looking priest, turned around to face the speaker.

A young man, in his mid-twenties, stared right back at them. More specifically, at one of the girls. He was tall, close to the other two men's stature and though he seemed skinny, a gleam in his eye said he would not easily give in for anything.

He was good looking too. Well, not that Vash had any particular interest in noticing so (_**Christ**__, no!_), but he could admit that. To himself, that is. Perhaps if he were Meryl, he'd be interested in the guy. _Gladly, I'm not._

His eyes were unusual, more so than even his own. The right one was a clear deep blue, one that, at a certain angle, reminded him of Knives' own eye colour. But diagonally, an almost black streak went through the iris, making them unique. And the left eye was green. A bluish green, but green. Mismatched. Unique. Odd. Unique. Women liked that, didn't they?

His hair was midnight black, the front strands falling into his line of vision and giving him a rather young, boyish air. It had no gel, but it seemed to have a will of its own, going this way and that. Women liked that too, didn't they?

The man was handsome, there was no doubt about that.

And Meryl knew him.

"Ezekiel! Long time no see." She offered him a pleasant smile and a hand shake. In return, he pulled on their joined hands and pecked her closest cheek.

"Too long. Feels like ages instead of only six years. Out on work?"

The blond let his chin drop to his collarbone, behind the wide collar of his red trench coat, so that half of his face, up till his noise, was not seen. It was also some kind of version of pouting and/or sulking. Where exactly had all this familiarity come from all of a sudden anyway?

"Hai. You were transferred here last thing I heard of you, ne? Off to Economy, right?" she winked in a playful looking way. Since _when_ did Meryl Stryfe wink?!

"Ah, glad you still remember! Still have a great memory, I see."

"Contrary to yours. I still remember you asking me about random things before our collective Maths exam."

During the short interlude, it was like that. Meryl not noting Vash's suddenly anti social behaviour and Vash faking to be ignorant. And failing. Neither noticed the smirk in Wolfwood's lips or Millie's eyes drifting back and forth from one of them to the other.

"It was a pleasure to see you again after so long. Glad to know you're doing well, little Meryl."

"Likewise, Eze." She playfully punched him in the shoulder, "And don't call me that!"

However, Vash failed to catch the sideways glance Meryl threw at him over her shoulder.

He also failed to realize she didn't truly care for handsome men, not quite like that. It didn't matter if he had a nice looking hair or completely remarkable eyes either. Because **he** had all that and much more to her eyes.

He needn't anything else.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Hai: **Yes.  
**Ne: **Similar to "isn't it".**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Two things: don't come and tell me those kind of eyes don't exist, because I've seen them first hand xP And as for the OC's name, I know it's weird, but I kinda like it, so yeah o.O Next chapter will be posted on Saturday.


	12. In Solitude

**Dark: **Thank you for the hits and reviews.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Drops  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **Angst/Drama  
**Pairing(s):** Hinted WolfwoodxMillie  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Hinted spoilers, but nothing heavy.  
**Summary: **It's showering time.

* * *

ºººººº **In Solitude** ºººººº

"It's your turn to shower, Millie."

Said young woman got up, "Sankyu, sempai!". Swiftly, she picked up all the items she would need and hurried to the small bathroom en suite. It was a rare luxury, but they had it upon this hotel. Meryl had been delighted.

The auburn haired female took care in closing the door and locking it as well. She didn't bother to clean the mirror from the mist it had gathered though. As she quickly undressed, she had no need to see where lip-shaped reddish marks had been strewn about her collarbone.

Millie knew them by heart.

Turning on the water faucet, she revelled inwardly at the way the water droplets fell upon her big, yet slender frame. _So refreshing…_

And she let them fall.

Vash-san was very sharp, she was keenly aware of that, even if he tried to play it off. She could also say he had a great burden settled in his shoulders, even if he never really talked about it, but it was crystal clear to her. He did not need to know about this weakness of hers.

Sempai had her own burdens too: their job, her own growing feelings for Vash-san, a couple of problems in her family, reason as to why she barely sent any mail home… that took a lot from her and she could notice the bags underneath the violet-like eyes, some days more noticeable than others.

No, it was fine, really. This particular burden of hers fit her just fine, resting snugly over her shoulders. Millie could take it.

So, she let the small, salty tear drops fall, one after another. They grew as they rolled off her chin, over her flat stomach or hips, down her long legs. And then, even as they left her eyes, they were already big and fat, and grew even bigger and fatter before reaching the floor.

The other remaining two of their trio did not need to know she was still very much crying over _**his**_ death.

After all, between water and tear drops, there was no real difference to the naked eye, right?

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.  
**Sankyu: **Familiar way of saying "Thank you".

**Dark: **Next chapter will be out tomorrow. Keyword is: Earrings n.n


	13. Trinkets

**Dark: **Thanks for the hits and review. Uhh, this piece just popped out of nowhere and wrote itself o.O but I actually think it came out rather nice! xDD

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Earrings  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Jewellery just isn't one of their fortes. It should, therefore, come off.

* * *

ºººººº **Trinkets** ºººººº

Meryl didn't have many belongings that she would call her jewellery. Trinkets. Charms. Whatever.

She had her long, golden earrings, for one. Those, nobody touched, for they were once her grandmother's. She could also count the times when she had taken them off with the fingers of one hand (sleeping and showering not counting, that is).

It wasn't that the short woman didn't have necklaces either, but her line of work (especially her **current** assignment) didn't give her many opportunities to wear them and it was also a bit dangerous. They could use them to easily put her on a disadvantage by sharply pulling on them.

Dangerous things, necklaces…

There was also her pen. You see, Meryl owns a silver, thin pen. Millie, for all her insight, can't figure out why exactly her sempai is so attached to it. After all, said pen is actually a little heavier than most. And if it fell, it was probable that it would need a refill. It had happened quite a few times, in fact.

Thing was, that same pen was in Meryl's possession ever since she was seven. And that's a long time; it had belonged to her father and, as a present, he had given it to her. The elder Stryfe had one just like it.

Vash was also aware of the sentimental value the little item had to her. Though he wasn't the one who discovered it, it was actually the one and only Nicholas D. Wolfwood.

««Flashback»»  
It looked like a relatively calm, ordinary morning.

The quartet, minus Meryl, was sitting at one of the hotel bar's tables, waiting for their breakfast, when said woman came stomping down the stairs, heading towards them.

Vash let his smile fade, his features turning serious. It must be something that was sure to give them a lot of problems if it could cause such a dark, sombre expression to show on her face.

"Vash-san."

"What's wrong, Insurance Girl?"

He was startled to find her hand at his collar in a very sudden move. Next thing he knew, their noses were barely an inch apart. "Where. Is. It." Kami, she was scary like this.

Now sure that there wasn't a direct threat to their safety, Vash changed his priorities to the little spitfire right in front of him that was ready to erupt. His voice went up a full octave, "Wh-Where's what?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS!! I don't go about stealing your stupid hair gel now, do I? Or better yet, your gun! What gives **you** the right to steal _**my**_ stuff, Vash the Stampede!?"

"Whoah, pipsqueak, calm yourself down already." Wolfwood was as relaxed as ever, it seemed. "What is it?"

Her next sentence would have made Vash trip, had he been walking.

"My _**pen**_!! I left my pen next to my latest report and it's not there!" even the humorous way she had referred to her report as if it was the latest edition of a really good novel could not cause anyone's laugh due to the rage coming off of her. Also…

_She almost skinned me alive for a good-for-nothing, silly __pen?!_

"Ooh, _that_ pen, sempai?"

"Yes, Millie, my Parker pen." Meryl crossed her arms over her chest, turning to the priest, "It's the only blue pen that I've ever used ever since I'm seven. And I **want it back**!"

Out of the blue, said man simply produced a thin, silvery pen from his sleeve. "Ah. This one?"

If looks could kill, Nicholas would be dead on the floor in less than a second.

"Wolfwood-san." She took back the item, her voice sickening sweet.

"Hm?"

"Do _**not**_ steal it from me ever again. Ever."  
««End Flashback»»

The red-clad plant shuddered in remembrance. He would **not** even pick up the little pen without her permission, not even if said pen was somehow a secret craving of Knives' that would save Humanity.

Meryl would then be the one to destroy it in search for her beloved silver trinket anyway.

But since a simple pen was highly improbable to be able to stop Knives (if anything ever would), that risk was very low.

As for Vash, he had the earring through his left earlobe. One that he believed brought out his roguish good looks, that had also served for more than that and had come in handy a handful of times. He had never been one to appreciate chains or any other things like it either, so there wasn't much to say about that…

…One couldn't consider the exaggerated quantity of buckles he owned, right?

Right.

Vash also never took off said small item. It did not bother him, whether he was asleep or not and the lost technology the Doc had installed on it was waterproof as well, so there was no need to.

Meryl, on the other hand, did. Not often, but she did. She said the clasps of her earrings scratched her fingers whenever she washed and rinsed her hair, so off they went. And when sleeping too.

Once, in the darkness of their shared bedroom, the outlaw had reached for them. And was rewarded with a sharp slap on his hand.

"Hey!"

"I've told you before, I'm the one who takes them off!"

Several minutes later, they faced the same problem yet again, but on a reverse situation.

"What _are_ you doing?" his sentence came out as a half moan.

Her lips had smirked near his temple, "Why, I'm taking off your earring."

"But I- With your _tongue_?"

"You'd be surprised with the things one can do with their tongue." Her head lowered. His eyes drifted close. An almost soundless _click _sounded, "After all, the tongue is the most versatile muscle of the human body."

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.**  
Kami: **God.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Yes, I can see Meryl having an obsession with pens. I know _I_ do 8D Please review…


	14. Secret Stash

**Dark: **Sankyu for the reviews and hits. I'll soon reach over 1000, I think. But I'd appreciate it if more feedback was also thrown in the mix, it lets me know if these are enjoyable or not and what I can do to make them better.

* * *

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

**

* * *

**

**Key-word:** Cookies  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** None  
**Verse:** Anime  
**Warnings:** Light details to the end of the series, nothing explicit or heavy.  
**Summary: **Vash is responsible for an unspeakable crime.

ºººººº **Secret Stash** ºººººº

"VASH THE STAMPEDE!!!"

The inhabitants of the small no-name town looked up, momentarily startled. Then, they realized where the shout had come from. Shrugging to themselves, they resumed what they were doing. This was a very regular occurrence after all.

Said infamous outlaw, however, winced and fearfully looked over the edge of the couch. Man, was he safe there? Not for long, he was sure of that.

"Gosh, Vash-san, sempai sure sounds annoyed." Millie lightly commented. Darn, she sounded as if she was saying it was a nice weather out there today.

_How does she do that?!_

"I had nothing to do with it, I swear!"

Knives, across from him, moved his white chess piece casually, "That spider doesn't appear too convinced of that fact, brother." Absently, his left hand reached up to his lips, which parted.

"Knives-san, you know that biting your fingernails won't do you any good." The young woman assisting commented, waving a finger back and forth. Needless to say, said plant did not even grace her with a look.

"Last thing I broke was last week." Vash glared at the chess board, searching for a good move. It was hard. "And she was already over the fact that I nearly burned the house down after trying to brew some tea a couple of days ago. Dunno what got her that pissed."

Angry stomps announced the presence of the short woman with a dragon-like attitude. Ah! There, that was a decent move. His long fingers picked up his only knight left. A few seconds later, one of his twin's pieces brought it down. _Crap!_

Then, out of the blue, while he searched for yet another move, something smashed against the side of his head. While his head turned to the side due to the force behind the hit, he noticed it was a plastic container.

_Sheesh, she's short, but her aim is great and the force behind any projectile is astounding…_ Reaching up with one hand, the teal eyed plant carefully checked the smarting spot for blood.

"YOU!"

Two out of the three beings in the living room all turned to the door, the last one merely giving it a casual glance. The sight of a livid Meryl was what greeted them.

She was breathing noisily through her nose, her eyes sparkled with unspeakable fury and one index finger was pointing accusingly at the younger blond. "**You**… You _evil_ person!!!"

Vash lifted a finger, waving it. "Nah, insurance girl." He then motioned to Knives. "_He_'s the evil twin, not me, remember?"

Ice blue eyes narrowed in warning. "Vash-"

"No, I **know** it was you!! There's no one else here capable of such an atrocity!" Knives' glare was a thousand times colder and sharper due to his sudden interruption (especially by such a lowly species), but Meryl didn't notice. Or care at that point. She was very, very lucky he still had a hard time moving about. "How _**dare**_ you do such a thing!" she really sounded near tears.

By now, the walking disaster was beginning to feel a little worried. Had she lost it completely? "Uhh… And what was that exactly?"

"You ate my last _secret _stash of these!"

A plastic bag was shoved into his face. Colourful letters danced upon it and the delicacy was also there, small, round cookies covered with dark chocolate, with a tiny hole through the middle.

"Ooh, those were really good!" the spiky haired man wasn't aware he was currently signing his death warrant. "They really reminded me of doughnuts, ya know! Since we didn't have any, I thought I-" he finally noticed the dark look in the woman's eyes, promising slow, painful torture. He laughed nervously. "Hehehe… I-I didn't know they were actually yours! Honest!! I sweat I wouldn't if I did!"

"But you did."

"Uh, yes?"

"Vash."

"Eep?"

"You are _SO_ DEAD!"

His last heard sentence was thrown over his shoulder as he exited the room as fast as his legs would carry him, "SAVE ME!!!"

"There they go again." Millie took Vash's previous seat and made a move on the chess board. "But really, sempai does have a softer side, Knives-san."

"Hmph." The platinum blond did not grace her with a full answer. He knew reasoning with this spider was a lost case; no matter how many times he told her he did _not_ care about her blabbing, she would not listen anyways. He made his own move.

"We just haven't found it yet, that's all."

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **I couldn't help myself with this one X3 Now look at the left side of your screen. See the violet/purple/lilac/whatever-you-call-that-colour little button? It's just _**begging**_ you to press it.


	15. Practise Makes Perfect

**Dark: **Said I'd reach over 1000 hits xDD Just can't understand how I did it and yet, few people review. Mou, I'll get over it, I think. At least I do have reviewers, you know who you are ;) Thank you very, very much!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

**

* * *

**

Key-word: Session  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Light VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Manga  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Vash's interruptions.  
.

* * *

ºººººº **Practise Makes Perfect** ºººººº

Usually, the three hours Vash the Stampede dedicated to his morning practise were rarely, if ever, interrupted.

The fact that he got up as early as he did also helped a lot with that fact, of course.

Wolfwood had never said anything about it. Probably, he was the one who better understood him, having gone under harsh years of training himself at a rather tender age.

Besides, if he didn't train every morning, Vash would soon find his movements restrained and would have quite a hard time whenever he wished to make the simplest move: his metal implants and prosthetic arm would make sure of that.

But there was one episode of Wolfwood scaring the hell outa him during one of his daily sessions. The outlaw had been at it for a little over an hour.

The quiet rustling of covers in the bed opposite to him barely registered, including the sight at the back of his vision of a pillow being picked off the floor and smashed against a familiar, untidy mop of black hair that was currently pointing everywhere. But the not so quiet comment did.

"Lord, will you please open a friggin' WINDOW, Tongari!!! Can't you tell your sweat _**stinks**_?!"

The egg he was practising with at that current moment went past the barrel of his long colt and landed with a _splat!_ on the pan he had luckily placed on the floor.

_Oops…_ "Sorry, **honey**. I thought you enjoyed it."

Millie was someone he never needed to even think about walking in on him. The big girl, though always helpful and ever so perky, just wasn't a morning person. If there was a favour her little sempai could ever do to her, it would be to allow her to sleep in. The younger girl did get up whilst he was training, a few times, but only to head to the bathroom and fall right back asleep a few minutes later.

Meryl was another thing.

No, no, she was sound asleep at the time he dragged himself out of bed, but she had a biological clock that could rival his own. Even with his sensitive hearing, he had never heard any kind of alarm, which meant she probably got up on her own. Or was really, really sensitive to any kind of small noise…

She would never open the door to the men's room without permission either; that just wasn't her thing.

Vash smiled as he thought of the other particular detail about her waking time: she did her best to keep the noise at a minimum every single time. If it weren't for his telepathic abilities managing to pick up the differences between her sleeping and wakened mind, he'd most likely not notice whether she was up or not.

So really, in the end, it was his fault that she even discovered he did wake up much earlier than any of them, because he had opened the door to their room (also the window, at Wolfwood's "request") due to the particularly high temperature of that day. Besides, this was a fancy hotel for once, he needn't worry so much as usual. Their rooms made up a small apartment-like residence; they even had a kitchen of their own!

Because, in all honesty, ever since his insurance girls have been following him around, he still got up at the same time and did the exact same training programme, but went back to bed for a few extra minutes. He'd never tell another soul that he did it to poke on short stuff's buttons though.

Vash had not noticed her staring at him as he continued his latest set of sit ups either. Curious, his attention span was starting to worry him. First the priest, now her… Could be dangerous.

"Well, if you're up and have the energy to do all that, you could've started with making breakfast, broom head."

In mid-movement, he had been so startled, his back met the harsh floor harder than it needed. "Ouch!" to complete the act, he lost count of how many sit-ups he had done up till then. _Crap…_ Through the locks of dark blond hair that fell across his eyes, he glanced at the door. "Good morning to you too, short girl."

Meryl stood there, a slightly amused smirk dancing upon her bow shaped lips. "Hai, good morning. So, you've decided you're gaining too much weight with all your doughnut-inhaling?"

Well, she was asking for it… "Perhaps. Never knew you even noticed, eh?" playfully, he winked, pleased to notice a light shade of pink covering her cheekbones. Another one wouldn't hurt, "For how long were you staring?" Her blush deepened. Boy, wasn't this fun…

"I… Well, it.. Ack, no, of course I have not noticed, baka!" she huffed in a rather cute way. "Don't be silly!" Ah, she didn't answer his other question; curious.

"'Course not." Wait for it, wait for it… Now! Just as she was making her leave. "Yo, insurance girl?"

One slender hand rested over the doorframe and she poked her head into the room again. "Yes?"

Vash wriggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way. "I could give you a private session, if you'd like."

Her outraged expression would be kept in his mind for a long, long time.

Ooh, that day started with a Vash the Stampede – 1, Meryl Stryfe – 0.

Man, he was good!

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Hai: **Yes.**  
Baka: **Idiot.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **One of these one shots had to have a playful broom-headed outlaw n.n In the next two chapters, I shall do my best to torture Knives-sama, mwuahahaha!


	16. Kids: Part I

**Dark: **Forgive me for the lateness of the post, honestly. But school started xP So, I'm sure you'll understand that I won't be able to write 3 of these every day and keep posting as regularly as I've been. I still have a lot of material to post, but I'm just letting you know. But never mind that, enjoy this one, mwuahaha!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Thing  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Implied VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for the end of the series.  
**Summary: **Knives' worst nightmare.

* * *

ºººººº **Kids: Part I** ºººººº

At first, Knives refused to believe it.

Completely and utterly. There was just no way that that was possible.

Some would call it denial.

It was one thing that his twin lowered himself to be around those… those… _spiders_ and enjoyed their company. It had been another completely different situation when said dear _sweet_ younger brother happily announced that he and that short human were an item.

But it hadn't been the end of the world, no.

He would just have to tolerate her a bit more than he considered necessary, like whenever he spoke telepathically to Vash and he was thinking about her (first time that happened, Knives hadn't dared to do it again for two whole weeks; the reasons as to why would remain untold though), or when she came to retrieve him from **his** room for one reason or another, among other things.

It was irritating, but it could be worse.

And it did get worse too.

On the very day when the darker haired man sauntered into his room with a grin from ear-to-ear. But not his usual ones. A more _specific _one. Knives had immediately been on edge.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you today?"

"Hmm?" Vash closed the door with his foot and placed the tray holding his brother's breakfast in front of him. Apple juice, black coffee, a handful of pancakes, the syrup-that-the-larger-woman-did-that-actually-wasn't-too-bad and two toasts. At least, for **once**, the humans got it right. "What do you mean?"

"Vash, if you widen that grin, I fear I might wretch. And I don't think you'd like it if the cause for me wasting this meal was you. So really, what's going on with you this morning?"

In return, the younger plant smirked instead.

Not five minutes later, it would be replaced by a displeased grimace as the :: HOW _DARE_ YOU FORNICATE WITH THAT **CREATURE**!!!. :: oddly echoed in his mind.

From then on, that particular grin would be dubbed as the "I got laid" grin.

But Knives' true shock came months later.

Maybe if he hadn't feared for what would become of his reputation, he would've fainted.

Icy blue stared into sea green eyes. Lips were thinly pressed against one another while a very similar pair held the biggest grin he had ever seen. Which was freaking him out, by the way.

"What did you just say, brother?" his voice was perfectly calm and steady. He also spoke as he would to a small (plant) child, so that every word was loud and clear. In fact, he had spoken to Vash in quite the same way back in the SEEDs ship more than once.

"Meryl was feeling queasy this morning, like the previous handful of mornings before this one, so she decided to go see a doctor and came back with the best news anyone could've hoped for: she's pregnant!"

The fact that all of that was said in one breath with no pause would, in any other case, have intrigued the older twin, but not this time.

Those last few words repeated themselves silently in his head like one of Rem's broken records had once. At the time, he and Vash had laughed so much that tears formed.

This time however, Knives would also feel tears forming for a completely different reason, but he reminded himself that this was not how he should be acting before such a situation.

There was a _pregnant_ pause after that.

Mind the irony.

"That spider is with child?"

The other sighed, rolling his eyes, "Yes, and in case you didn't notice, you're the spider's child's uncle."

The platinum blond lifted one hand and covered his eyes. _I'm hallucinating…_ "You're the disgrace of our brethren."

"You fail to remember that that one has no effect on me, Knivesy-kun." Vash's grin hadn't even flinched, "But you know, today, there's **nothing** you can say that can throw me off."

Unfortunately, that was true.

And he did try. And failed.

In the very least, the handful of days when the Short One went to the hospital to finally give birth, were the quietest he had in a long while.

Even if he could almost feel his brother's heavy worry and deep concern as if they were his own. And the anxiety too.

But once they returned, along with the… the _**thing**_, the appendage, the hybrid, everything was turned upside down. Again.

In the end, the newly made parents had twins. Oh, the irony. Once again. Although, one boy and one girl. The doctors had only diagnosed one female, but it looked like his brother couldn't be happier than he was then with the unexpected male addition.

The first time Knives had laid eyes on the four of them, Vash held both infants and his pet trailed by his side, still a bit pale and tired looking. _Feh. Weakling…_ After spotting him, the father's grin widened even _more_, if such a thing was even possible.

The fact that his cheeks were red and his expression pathetic did give the ex-homicidal maniac the urge to ask the gunman if he was drunk, but he resisted.

:: They don't have the same aura as we or our sisters do. But they clearly aren't plants. Or humans, for that matter. You can feel that too, correct?. ::

:: Yes. But that's the last thing in my mind right now, brother. ::

After the other human also joined in, squealing a bit too loudly in Knives' modest opinion, they slowly moved towards the living room at Meryl's wary request to sit down.

"So, sempai, have you thought of any names for them?"

At the question, the couple exchanged a look, smiled and shook their heads no. The older plant also chose that moment to let his eyes finally take in the small bundles dozing off.

Or so he thought. The baby girl caught his eye for a brief moment, much to his surprise. A mop of dark hair was starting to show on the top of her head, but her eyes were almost the same shade as his. He was sure that, in a few months' time (perhaps less, if they grew faster than normal humans), they would finally change to their definite colour.

"Rem."

The room grew quiet and Vash's own hues caught his immediately, confusion in them. It also took a while to Knives himself to realize that the lips from which the name escaped were actually his own.

"The girl. Name her Rem."

His slip-up, to his partial surprise, was met with a few answering smiles.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:  
****-kun: **an honorific suffix addressed to someone as a sign of caring.  
**Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Weeeeeee, poor Knivesy-kun n.n Good? Bad? P Next one is the "sequel" xDD Please review or I shall let the Almighty-One-with-a-Superiority-Complex loose x)

One thing: no, in fact, when thinking about the subject of Vash and Meryl having children, I do not fully agree with the fact that they'll have twins (for more information, please wait to read my other fic under Trigun, one with an actual plot and several chapters), but for this and the next one shot, it will be how I shall work.


	17. Kids: Part II

**Dark: **Not as late this time xDD Hope you enjoy! And review if you did, please! Personally, I think the ending of this one is better than the last, but I prefer the beginning of the last one, hm x)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Smile  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Implied VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for the end of the series.  
**Summary: **Knives' _**newest **_worst nightmare.

* * *

ºººººº **Kids: Part II** ºººººº

Knives felt like crying all over again.

The _things_ were bawling again.

They were around nine months old, perhaps four years old for a human's eye. Their growth was very much slowed due to the human genes in them. The household had quickly found out that the female, Rem, had a remarkable pair of lungs. The boy, with light blond hair and darker eyes, Blaise by name, was much quieter, which Knives appreciated.

Just a little bit.

He could also catch his twin's voice in the kitchen as he walked out of the bathroom and headed down the stairs.

"Shush, Rem, calm down!" more noise and more screaming, "Lookie here, there comes the airplane!" quiet sniffle, then partial silence.

"Wha's that? An… aro.. pain?"

Knives smirked; trust the boy to do the complicated questions. He sidestepped the kitchen and caught an apple from the living room instead. Safer ground for the moment.

"Knives-san?"

Inwardly, he cringed. That was his… "sister-in-law". Technically anyways; Vash the Stampede couldn't quite get married without having hundreds of bounty hunters attending to said wedding. He glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Would you mind looking after the twins for a couple of hours? Just after they start their napping, I mean. I need to do some shopping, Millie is out working and I need your brother's help to bring it all back. They'll probably stay asleep for the whole trip." The little spider waved a hand. "I won't bother asking you, you wouldn't come with me anyways."

She had a point there. With a grunt, he wordlessly agreed. He could just skip this, but he doubted his brother would let him escape unscathed; the younger plant was surprisingly protective of the brats.

At least, they'll be sleeping…

…Wrong.

_Why does this happen to me? They __**always **__sleep longer than this._ His left eyebrow twitched. The boy was moving about, rousing from his one hour long nap. Unusual.

And unexpected.

If Knives wasn't such a developed being, he'd say he was nervous, but that just wasn't possible.

His icy blues looked about the place beyond his chess board in search of one forgotten toy, finding none. For once, he cursed the Short One's tidiness, something he normally enjoyed.

Too late. The brat spotted him.

A clueless soft smile found its way to his lips, as it usually did. In that, he was just like Vash. "Watcha playin', Kn-Kn- Uhh, uncle?" Neither of the twins could fully say his name quite right; he didn't know how, but the parents easily made them dub him as just the "uncle", which was preferable to watch him grit his teeth every time something like "Nayvz" came out.

"Nothing you'd like, I'm sure." He wanted to say. Instead, "Go back to sleep, kid." came out. _And __**don't**__ touch your sister, lest she starts bawling again, worthless bundle of flesh._

"That's chess, ne?" the toddler didn't look as if he absorbed any word of what he had just said. Why, oh _why_? "Ne, ne?" Crawling out of his bed, the lower one of the two bunk beds, he waddled up to the low table near the centre of the room, the one Knives was currently hunched over. "You need two players, dontcha?"

_Your father isn't here, is he, genius?_ "I'm playing against myself, it's the same thing." Just a bit harder, since he knew how he'd play next, obviously. Up to the point where he'd reach a dead end. Quite annoying.

Little Blaise giggled, "I'll help." A small hand reached out.

_If you throw this to the ground, ruining my current game, waking up your sister and forcing me to clean the mess, I swear I'm going to knock you out!_ Arctic-cold eyes narrowed dangerously.

Completely unaware of the impending doom however, the child picked up one of the black pieces. "Checkmate!"

Knives did a double take. _Wh-What?!_ The _**hybrid**_ had just solved the problem he had been mulling over in his head for the past quarter of hour in a few seconds? Indeed, it was a fair play, nothing wrong with it and perfectly worthy of his own skill. _But how…?_

"Aunt Millie teached me sum' things!"

"It's 'taught', not 'teached', brat." A ghost of a smile ran along his own lips. Perhaps...? "Say… You're not sleepy anymore, are you?"

"Nope!" he grinned, eyes glinting.

Knives made an attempt at grinning back, which wasn't too bad in the end. "Let's play chess then."

Maybe this brat wasn't so bad after all if he was able to play chess.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Ne: **Similar to "isn't it".  
**Owari: **The end.

taixishi Arigatou gozaimasu for taking your time reviewing! n.n Thanks for liking the way I write (enormous boost for my ego, hehe xP), but let me explain why I did what I did on the last piece: baby Rem made Knives remember Rem herself, that was why he spoke up the name subconsciously and why I said it had been a "slip-up" in the first place; not sure if you got that subtlety. At first, I wasn't going to make it that implicit, but it's Knives-centred and when I write him, I've a tendency to do that, since he **is** said to have a limitless intelligence and such. That's the main reason why I didn't rewrite the last scene due to OOC-ness, since our favourite serial killer was merely reminiscing xP But either way, thank you very, very much!! ;) Hope this one was to your liking as well!  
  
**Dark: **Done! n.n Haha, nothing better than a child to rend the Almighty Mass Assassin speechless xDD Next one's keyword is: Drag x) Will be up sometime through this weekend, I hope. I'll have a maths national test in two weeks, so… xP Also, don't mind the names for the kids, it wouldn't be the ones I'd choose, but yeah, that has an explanation in my other fic...


	18. A Smoke

**Dark: **Please do review if you read and enjoyed it. And thank you, GlassHeart17, for placing this little fic under your alerts and favourite stories' list n.n (saying this here since I couldn't send you a PM). Detail: I do use Gunsmoke's method of measurement, so _feel_ is _feet_, don't forget.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Drag  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama/General  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Valid to both.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **A smoke feels good every once in a while.

* * *

ºººººº **A Smoke** ºººººº

His fingers were already twitching with anticipation.

_Oh, just a few more feel… Lord, just that much farther now…_

Wolfwood was finally out of the small inn, much to his system's relief. His fingers fumbled a little even, it had been _**hours**_ since his last one and he really couldn't take it anymore.

The crooked little white cylinder was quickly and automatically placed on the corner of his lips and the match soon materialized itself from somewhere anyone else would forever wonder.

The priest took a long intake of breath, features immediately relaxing as the nicotine did its work. Ooh, how good that felt… _That's better._

It was on his third cigarette that one dark coloured hue opened and his head turned to look at the door which had just opened. Half of him expected it to be Spikey, but, surprisingly, it was Short Stuff who happened to grace him with her forever vertically-challenged presence.

"Oh. I thought you were up in your room doing that."

"Tongari'd rather that I don't smoke there." Nicholas gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Says it's bothersome in closed spaces. Honestly, I don't notice it anymore." The blond hadn't directly said it, but the dark haired man could tell he didn't particularly like it.

"And for once, he's right." Meryl sat down on the small porch. "Those are really bad for you. But you already know that, don't you."

"What can I say," His lips curled into an ironic grin. "I'm afraid it's a highly addictive vice." It calmed him down, that was all he wanted. "Ah, where are my manners. Want one?"

Her head turned to look at him over her shoulder, a frown starting to form in between her eyes. Then, her eyebrows went up. "Share?" her right hand lifted, index and middle fingers parted, but not in a victory sign.

The man lifted an eyebrow of his own, surprised at the request, but took the cigarette from his mouth and held it out. In return, she grasped it and took a short drag from it, allowing the smoke to stay in her lungs for a few short seconds, then letting it out by parting her lips a little. The young woman did not so much as give a cough.

"Any special reason for it, shortie?" he took the cigarette back from her, bringing it to his lips again.

"A smoke feels good every once in a while."

"Aa. True enough."

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****Aa: **Similar to "Yeah" and mostly used by men.  
**Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Different approach than most of the others for a change. Next one will be a bit… sadder, to take a break from the latest humorous ones. Drama is my speciality after all xP Tittle is Just a Mirage.


	19. Just A Mirage

**Dark: **Review if it pleases you… please. xDD

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Emotion  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Angst/Drama/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for the end of the series, but I've tampered with it a little. Don't think it's enough to be AU though…  
**Summary: **The Humanoid Typhoon comes back victorious after facing off against Knives. But not all is as it should be. Well, except Millie of course.

* * *

ºººººº **Just a Mirage** ºººººº

Vash had expected many kinds of receptions for his return.

1) Meryl beating the crap out of him. 2) Meryl kicking him out of the door. 3) Meryl bonking him on the head till she made four bumps on it, all on top of the other, since that was her favourite number. 4) Meryl screaming her head off until he wasn't quite sure if his sense of hearing was even usable any longer. 5) Meryl punching him to oblivion.

But not this. Never this.

He had just knocked on the door to their little rented house, Knives blissfully unconscious and thrown over one shoulder. It had been over one month. The shorter agent was the one who answered.

She blinked once. Then twice. "Oh. You're still there? I thought I had told you to leave already." And the door closed before he could even get a word in.

_What the…?!_

Violence, he had expected, even _hoped_ for. After all, this was **Meryl**. But not this. Never such a cold reaction, such indifference.

_Doesn't she want me here, is that it? It didn't sound to me that way when I left…_

Although, before he could dwell that much in his misery and depression, the door reopened rather quickly. This time, Millie was on the other side of the threshold.

Her features looked concerned and an apologetic look surrounded her baby blue eyes, "Gomen nasai, Vash-san. Come in, onegai." She stepped to the side, letting the twins pass, "Sempai's… not feeling too well lately. Give her some time, please. Is that your brother?"

"Aa. Can he stay in the spare room, please? If it's not occupied, I mean…" his aqua green eyes glanced around the room, finding no sign of the other woman.

"Of course. It's still free. And your old room was left exactly as you left it. We just cleaned here and there, that was all."

"Thank you."

Words were few as both of them took care of the platinum blond, settling him in and redressing his bullet wounds. Only after the soft blankets were up to the older plant's chin did the other one bring the current subject that was completely confusing him.

"So, what exactly is wrong with short girl?"

The auburn haired young woman let out a deep sigh. She sat down on a nearby chair. "Meryl-san is sick, Vash-san." Her front teeth caught her lower lip, worrying it.

A feeling of impeding doom seemed to lodge itself in the outlaw's stomach. It wasn't a pleasant emotion. He sat down beside his twin's legs, knowing that his own may not sustain his weight. "S-Sick? Insurance girl?" his laugh sounded false even to his own ears.

"Well, not _sick _sick!" she scratched her head while Vash's left eye twitched, "The doctor says she's going into depression. She does everything as usual, though. Goes to work, writes our weekly reports about you, takes good care of herself and all that… But he said she's been having illations lately, even if she's currently denying them."

He blinked. "Illations? About what?" _She's going into depression and having illations… _His features paled and he felt ready to bolt in search for the black haired girl at a moment's notice. _Illations about life? That she wants it to end or something? That's not like her, damn it! Don't you even dare, Meryl!!_

"Oh, you know, those things that happen when you stay out in the suns for too long and are too far away from any nearby town. Ooh, once, I thought I had seen this biiig bakery and my favourite pudding was-"

Vash slapped his right hand over his face. _**Illusions**__, not illations. Silly Millie… Well, at least that. _"Insurance girl, back to the short girl, please."

She blinked, then bonked herself on the head. "Oh, of course! Well, the nice doctor says they'll eventually fade, but that they're the result of sempai's being rather stressed out and her emotions running rampant. He says they're images that her mind makes up to relieve that. And usually, they're about you."

That brought his thoughts to an abrupt stop. "About me?"

"Hu huh!" the innocence in person confirmed, nodding her head vigorously, "First time it happened with me in the room, it got me a bit spooked, if you ask me! She was all "Go away, Vash-san." or "I said I got it already." or some other things like that. I always turned around and called out for you, but you never answered." Her smile then turned sad, "I tried to tell her that too and she would nod, but point at some random place and say you were right there bothering her. I never really understood it… But there are also some days when she just cries in her bed and I don't know what to do to help."

"That's.. alright. You did what you could, ne?" he smiled back too, but just as sadly. "Besides that, what happened 'round here?"

It was only after dinner that Vash got another moment alone with Meryl. In fact, he was rather dreading it now that he knew what happened.

"Insurance girl? Mind if we talk?"

He heard her huff as she put their plates and cups away. "I told you already, we've talked all there was to talk. Besides, I'm sick and tired of telling you that I **know** you're just a picture my mind made up. Vash isn't back, nor will he ever be. So, stop bothering me."

That hurt much more than any of her slaps. _She… didn't believe I'd be back?_ "Insu- Meryl. Meryl, look at me."

"See? There it is. The _real_ Vash wouldn't call me by my given name." she then laughed. "On second thought, he probably doesn't even **know** my given name. Just vanish already. You always do either way."

"Please. Just look at me." He was standing right behind her now, could feel the heat of her small body so near his.

And she did turn around, looked up into his eyes. Her voice dropped to a barely audible murmur, "There. I'm looking at you. Happy now? You'll just lean into me slowly and disappear just before kissing me like all the other times." Her eyes were swimming, with both tears and emotions. There were so many he couldn't even hope to discern them all: hurt, desperation, tiredness, stress, resignation, hopelessness…

She had lost her hope. Her hope on him. Another thought that hurt much, much more than any of his scars had. But she continued, "My mind may think this makes it easier, but it doesn't." his own tears were triggered by then, falling faster than her own. "It makes it so much worse. It already hurts so much. To see you every day and lose you every night. I know it's not you, but yet it is and I… I can't take it much longer."

"But I'm here now, Meryl." His hands came up, resting over her shoulders and shaking her a little. He had to make her see, make her realize he was back, that he was more than just a mirage she saw but could never reach. "Believe me, I'm here, I'm back! Just… just don't cry. Insurance girl, I'm not worth crying for, remember that."

Again, Meryl laughed, but this one was completely mirthless. In fact, it was devoid of any emotion. It was just… empty. She stopped just enough to mutter "That was just what he'd say." against the material of the clean shirt he had on, then restarted it. But the chortle soon died and out of it came soft hiccups. Finally, those turned into sobs when her body completely sagged against his own and if not for his arms, she would've fallen.

The blond kneeled, keeping her as close to him as he possibly could, and when he tried to adjust their position a little, Meryl's grip on his arms had been so tight it most likely cut off his circulation for the few seconds it took him to do it.

From her, only parts of full sentences could be heard, along with her sniffing and sobbing. "Please… Please stop it… Go away!... I can't… Please don't… don't do this… Not anymore…"

"I won't, Meryl." All Vash could do was hold her as tight as he could in the embrace of his arms, one long leg on each side of her fragile frame as she sat on the floor, her left side fully pressed against him and head buried on his chest. "I promise you I won't. I'll be here." The cool feeling her tears left on his skin was a bit uncomfortable – the desert night was cold after all and his shirt was thin –, but he was sure he deserved it all and much more. "I'll help you. I swear."

This was another mistake of his.

But he vowed he'd kill himself if he didn't undo it.

_And everyone who knows me knows that __I disapprove of suicide more than anything._

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****Aa: **Similar to "Yeah" and mostly used by men.  
**Gomen nasai: **I'm sorry.  
**-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Onegai: **Please.  
**Ne: **Similar to "isn't it".  
**Owari: **The end. 

**Dark: **Like I said, sadder. And deeper than most, in a way , Please review! I need all the support I can get during exam time x.X I'm not sure when the next piece will be up (I just took a short break from Maths to post this), but I'll try to do it till the weekend. Don't promise anything though.


	20. Indigestion

**Dark: **o.O 6 reviews? My, that's a record for me x) Thank you all! And over 2000 hits too xDD Especially since having 6 and a half hours to sleep is leaving me in an impossible mood… This one wasn't going to be the one I'd post next, but it's my gift to you. See, reviewing pays off :P

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** PMS-ing  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl, hinted WolfwoodxMillie  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Sometimes, it just doesn't pay off to be helpful. Yup, Vash knows it far too well.

* * *

ºººººº **Indigestion** ºººººº

Fifteen minutes after Millie sat down with the men, they exchanged a silent, frowning glance.

"Oye, big girl, when will shortie come down to grace us with her marvellous presence?"

"I don't think she will today, Wolfwood-san." the only woman replied, an apologetic smile on her lips. "She's not feeling very well today."

The blond lifted an eyebrow. Short girl, sick? Now that was an adjective that he'd never describe her with. "Really?"

"Hu huh. She was really pale too." Millie downed the rest of her tea, "I was actually going to ask you about it, Vash-san," said person blinked. "if it was alright that we stayed here till tomorrow morning. This doesn't happen often to sempai, but when it does, it's like this."

"Uh, sure… it's not as if we have a schedule or anything…"

"Arigatou gozaimasu!"

Later, when the insurance agent went on her way to pay for the three of them, plus a pill for headaches, Wolfwood deemed it alright to throw in his own two cents. "Maybe she's PSM-ing, ya know." He smirked. "Now that's a sight I don't want to witness. Scary. Not to mention dangerous."

Vash glanced out of the window, a soft snicker escaping his lips from behind his hand. He let his imagination form the possible scene where Meryl would catch the priest's comment.

First, Dream-Meryl's blush would match the colour of his trench coat. Then, her mesmerizing eyes would narrow dangerously. Finally, she would pummel the chain smoking man to unconsciousness while clearly stating "Don't be ridiculous, that'll **never** happen to me!!"

Seeing that his plans to leave the small town they were in had just been thwarted, the plant stretched his arms over his head and smiled to himself a little. _Well, maybe a walk through town will do me some good._ Satisfied, he got up, nodded to Wolfwood and headed to the room's exit.

Half way there, he stopped in his tracks, blinked, grinned sheepishly and did a U turn. _Ah, forgot the money. Can't have lunch without money._ Once at the top of the stairs, he turned right, hands in his pockets, heading towards the end of the wall where his and Wolfwood's room was.

Again, Vash stopped, though not because he forgot something (he **could**'ve forgotten his keys, but this wasn't the case), but because he heard a quiet, pained groan from behind the closest door to him. Casually glancing up at the number, something clicked and he realized this was the Insurance Girls' room. _Big girl did say short girl wasn't feeling too well._

Now, if it were any other _normal_ person, the gentle man would feel compelled to check on them and ask if there was anything they needed that he could do.

But this was Meryl. And chances were that she'd throw the heaviest thing she could find at him instead.

And although easily helpful whenever needed, Vash considered self-preservation a very precious thing.

Yup, better to ignore it and go on his own merry way.

He had not even taken three full steps when a not so quiet resounding _crash!_ made him wince. _Short girl's trying to wake up every one else at the inn, isn't she?_

Maybe he should go check on her.

Hmm.

Then, another part of him remembered that she had a typewriter in her possession, possibly rather heavy.

Vash shuddered. _Is it really worth it?_

In the end (_Unfortunately_, he thought), his guiltier side wan. _Just to check on her. And I'll just peek. Better not to give her a clear angle to aim for my head. _He knocked.

"Millie? Is that you?"

His reserves from before vanished at the sound of her voice. Unusually quiet, clearly tired and a bit hoarse; that was how her voice was.

"Not quite, Insurance Girl. Are you alright?"

"Vash-san!" there was some rustling. "Didn't… Didn't Millie tell you?" The door opened a couple of inches; he could see one large indigo coloured hue, part of the light shade of the wide, baggy shirt she possibly wore to bed and the baby blue tinge of her robe, which had been wrapped around her small frame hastily.

"She did, and you can continue resting, but I heard a crash." After giving her a once over as best as he could, seeing that he could only check not even half of her, his eyes glanced around the room.

"Oh." In his periphery, he noticed her cheeks slowly going a bit pinkish. "I broke a vase… I was coming back from the bathroom and I kept my eyes closed – the sunlight was making my headache even worse – and guess I didn't notice where I was going, because next thing I knew, I tripped over the coffee table and the vase on it fell. Uh, it's really… nothing much."

Ah, so that was why part of the faux wooden floor was wet. And shards were on it too. "'k." Now, it would be rude not to offer help now that he was there, wouldn't it? Meryl, being Meryl, would refuse anyways, right? "Err, need any help with that?"

"Actually, I wouldn't mind…" teal eyes looked back at her as if she had just confessed she would follow Knives' ideals with the utmost dedication.

"Wha..?" Oh, the most intelligent sentence he had ever created.

The slightly paler than usual woman shuffled one bare foot. She then muttered something under her breath.

"Eh?" Yet another one. Great.

Meryl sighed in slight annoyance. Ah, there was her spirit. Part of it anyway. "I said, even _thinking_ about kneeling to pick up the shards makes my stomach feel queasy. And then, I would have to clean even a bigger mess, if you know what I mean." One of her hands rested over what he thought was her lower abdomen and pressed in a way he thought was kind of painful.

"Uh, that's alright. I'll take care of it."

A few minutes later, Meryl could be found sipping a lightly brewed white tea, courtesy of Millie, while sitting upon the window sill. A couple of feet away, in front of her, the one and only 60 billion double dollar man could be found picking up the last broken pieces of the vase.

Finally done, Vash absentmindedly reached up and brushed back a stray thin lock of flaxen hair. "There, I don't think there's anything left."

"Arigatou, Vash." Tiredly, she offered him a smile, not noticing the weird look he sent her. No honorific? That was new. _Damn, she must be __**really**__ sick…_ "You can go, you know. I'll be ok."

"Oh. Right." He stood up, then shot a glance at the bed, "But really, you should just lie down and let your stomach rest-" he frowned. Was that what he thought it was?

"I planned on doing so." Meryl said, placing down her cup and letting her body slide till her feet touched the ground. Slowly, slowly, or the tea would come right up.

"Insurance girl?"

At his slightly serious tone, she looked up faster than she should. Ack, her headache… Hissing under her breath, she forced her glassy eyes to focus on his back while massaging her temples. "Yes?"

"Is that… blood?" he looked at her over his shoulder again, taking in her figure for the second time as if expecting a fatal wound to show all of a sudden. "Are you injured? When did-"

"No, don't be silly, broom head, I'm not injured." She quickly interrupted him, walking closer to the bed. What was the idiot blabbing about? Then, she looked at her blankets. And paled even more.

_Oh God, I think I'm gonna die out of embarrassment right about now… _

There was blood alright. A tiny amount of it. Sensibly in the middle of the bed. 

_Ooh, you good-for-nothing, freeloading, womanizer, doughnut-obsessed Needle Noggin-ish buffoon!!!_ Instead, what came out of her lips were only bits of that, which sounded rather alike unintelligent muttering. The concern slowly seeping into his clueless expression was doing nothing to calm her down; quite the contrary. To even make it worse, her face was sure to give his red duster a run for its money right about now.

"Hey short girl, you ok? Maybe I should-"

"Leave, yes! Get out right now, you idiot!!" Meryl pointed at the door vehemently. She was _soo_ nearing her breaking point…

"But-"

"NOW!! I'LL BE FINE, JUST LEAVE, VASH!!!"

_Forget the concern._ When yelled at in that particular tone, the blue-green eyed male needn't to be told twice. "Eep!" In less than two seconds, he had bolted out of the room. _Sheesh, I have to make sure I'm no where close to her next time she has an indigestion. _

Meryl slammed the door closed after him, breathing deeply through her nose. 

In and out, in and out, steady.

_Christ, someone dig me a hole and let me hide in there…_

In and out, that's it.

_What a night! Did this have to choose this __**exact**__ day to raise its ugly, painful head?_

In and-

_Bathroom, I need the bathroom!_

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Arigatou gozaimasu:** Thank you/Thank you very much.  
**Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **It popped into my head. Took over my hands. Wrote itself. I'm innocent xDD Well, use your imagination to get the implications I "subtly" left here and there 8D Like last time, I'm not sure when I'll post again (my exam is Thursday), but I'll see what I can do. Thank you for reading and please review! x)


	21. Parenthood

**Dark: **I needed a break xP Now, please read this (then **review**!) one till the very end x)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Baby-sitting  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **Humour  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime  
**Warnings:** The killer of millions appears.  
**Summary: **Babies have their ups and downs.

* * *

ºººººº **Parenthood** ºººººº

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Oh, there we go again.

A blond head fell face first on the smooth surface of the kitchen table. _Man, why me? __**Why**__ is it __always__ me?!_ Grudgingly, tiredly, Vash put down the small spoon he had been using and got up very slowly.

God, this was scarier and scarier each time he did it.

But still, he did find the strength in himself to pick up the baby boy.

Said little guy had a mop of blond hair steadily growing and sparkling dark eyes; where he got those, he'll never know. He was healthy looking, his skin a nice light shade of pink and, what everyone in the little town thought was his best quality, it didn't take much to shut him up either.

Whenever his mommy was around, that was another thing though. The perfect little brat behaved. But this wasn't the case.

So, up to the sixty billion double dollar man to teach him some Love and Peace. Holding him comfortably at arm's length, he pretended to let go of him several times only to safely catch him right after. Then, he did the same, but upwards. All the while trying to make funny faces to see the reaction he'd get.

In all honesty, the child was soon enough chortling, tiny arms waving happily. Ah, one less disaster to be remedied.

Meryl will be proud once he told her after she gets back from work!

Millie was also very happy for him; whenever she walked in on him and the young little addition to the house, she winked and said it was doing him some good.

However, his dear brother had still to approve. The first time Knives had laid eyes on the infant, he had offered him his greatest death glare. "By Lord, can you lower yourself even _more_, Vash?! Honestly."

And other than that time, no interaction between homicidal lunatic brother/baby had been made. With the exception of a loud and clear :: SHUT HIM UP ALREADY OR I'LL SQUISH HIM LIKE THE LITTLE SPIDER HE IS!!!. :: mental shout, but Vash didn't think that one counted.

Oh well.

It was just another _innocent_ way to torture Knivesy-kun.

The Humanoid Typhoon then smirked. _Revenge is good, isn't it, my little friend?_

Cluelessly, the baby giggled some more.

Yup, he had had weirder temporary jobs other than baby-sitting the new born from the family next door while the parents worked.

But hey, at least it **was** a job!

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****-kun: **an honorific suffix addressed to someone as a sign of caring.  
**Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Another attempt at humour! xDD How did I do? n.n Come on, admit it, you thought the kid was Vash's! xD Next post will be on Thursday night. Title is Killing me Softly. Inciting? xP Ooh, and guess what? I think I've found a good enough plot for my other fic!And a complete one too xDD Finally, hehe.


	22. Killing Me Softly

**Dark: **I'm sorry for not updating when I said I would, but yesterday was a rather busy day x) Enjoy, read and review!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Life  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **Drama  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl (one sided, not?)  
**Verse:** (post-)Anime  
**Warnings:** A couple of spoilers from the last few episodes.  
**Summary: **To keep the girls and Humanity itself safe, Vash decides to take care of Knives by himself.

* * *

ºººººº **Killing me softly** ºººººº

"Are you sure?"

Vash sighed, turning his head skyward and allowing the unforgiving sunrays to hit his features. "Yes. I have to. For everyone's sakes. Yours too. And the big girl's."

His insurance girl's expression gave nothing away. It was just… blank. "But you could take care of your brother here."

"You know what he's responsible for. I won't… No, I **can't** allow him to even have the slightest chance to ever hurt another human being because of me. I don't want to be responsible for anyone else's death." His voice grew quieter. "I don't think I could even handle the burden. So yes, I have to leave you girls."

"You said you'd never take a life."

He blinked at the sudden change of subject. What was this about? "I…" he found the sand suddenly very interesting. "You know I tried to, but I found no answer other than killing Legato. And-"

"Apart from that." Smoothly, she interrupted him.

The young looking man then frowned. _What is she implying?_ "What do you mean, Meryl?" he used her name on purpose, trying to get to her so that he could get a straight answer. Vash didn't like this emotionless, quiet side of the easily ticked off female; it wasn't normal.

Out of the corner of his eye, he did notice her light fidgeting. She glanced up at him, but seeing that he was still half bent at the waist while putting on supplies on the truck he had purchased, she let her stare drop once again. Her reply was so soft he almost couldn't hear it. If he were human, he probably wouldn't have. "You're killing right at this moment."

"_What_?" he turned fully to face her. What _did_ she mean? Better yet, what did she _want_? And why now, all of a sudden? Man, was he confused…

"You keep on leaving us behind. Leaving me." Her head was bowed. "Again and again." As short as her hair was, her front bangs hid her unique eyes from his sight. "Every single time you do, I feel like a part of something inside me is dying. I also feel as if that something isn't going to be able to take much more of this torture."

The plant bit the inside of his lower lip. Though he wanted to reply, something told him she was not finished. And if Meryl wasn't done talking, it was wise to let her do so.

"I'm not like you. I don't think I'd die for someone I've just met, Vash." Her eyes then locked with his and he was suddenly breathless. There was some unknown emotion predominating most of their undefined depths, but there was a very clear one that eerily reminded him of Knives: rage. "I'm too independent for that, I'm afraid. It takes me a long while to trust people, for me to think their life is more worthy than mine. You, on the contrary, think everyone's lives are more worthy than yours. Why, I shall never know."

This time, it was her who lifted a hand to stop him from interrupting her. That was a clear sign that she vehemently believed in what she was saying and she would defend her position till the end.

"And still, even now, since you do not trust me yet – and I know you don't, don't lie to me – I'm not sure if I should trust you either. So, I won't die for you. But know this, Vash the Stampede." Meryl pulled away from the house's wall, only giving him her profile. "I _would_ die with you. If you asked me to go with you, to where you knew it was dangerous, I still would. With no hesitation."

This time, the Humanoid Typhoon said nothing at all merely because he could find no words to respond. Nevertheless, he left.

And Meryl did not lift a finger to stop him.

Even so, all she allowed him to have was half a day of advance before she and Millie were right on his trail.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Again, my speciality, drama x) And yes, the song in my head when I named this is probably the one you're thinking xDD Please review!


	23. AGL ARMS 45 Long Colt

**Dark: **Sorry for the wait. If someone even reads this, that is… I'd say you should read this one with the utmost attention, even if the end is clear. I think…

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Temptation  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama/Angst  
**Pairing(s):** Light VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **A few of the memories of that silver long colt would forever remain unspoken of again.

* * *

ºººººº **AGL ARMS .45 Long Colt** ºººººº

She had never noticed it. The details that gun had.

Meryl had never really had the chance to before. Or a reason to check the long colt all together. What for? It was just silly to even think about it.

But she now knew that it almost had a silver glow all of its own. Or, in the very least, the constantly gleaming metal made the moonlight hit it on purpose and just at the right angle every single time, catching all the light all for its own silvery self.

She also realized why it could only have been custom-made. The handle rested so naturally against his palm and seemed to just follow the curve of his long digits in such a way that the mere notion of the contrary was downright absurd. She had even picked up the paper-thin scratches the smooth barrel held, most likely from all its years of use and quick handling. The agent had been so close to it she was even able to catch the faint scent of gun oil and, even fainter, gunpowder.

The short woman knew all this for the simple reason that said firearm had been aimed right at her.

And why was that?

Because she had been a complete and utter fool, that's why.

It had been even before they met the priest, when they were a trio: girls in one room, the lone man (_Plant, _her mind absently corrected) in another. A good hour had passed after she had heard his door close, a good three hours since she had retired for bed and five whole hours ever since she picked up Millie's first, light snore.

For reference, Vash had returned from the local saloon around two in the morning.

And there was something nagging at Meryl's mind for some reason.

Not managing to fall back asleep (_Damn that broom headed aho!_), she got up from the bed and silently entered his luckily unlocked room. Now, she realized it would've been much better if he had locked it and be done with it.

All she got from the quiet _click_ of the door closing behind her was a light rustling of blankets. She had deemed it safe to go on.

Meryl merely stopped by his bed side and took in the sight. _Just checking in on him, that's all._

The great Vash the Stampede really looked sound asleep. His lips were partially parted, a row of perfect white teeth peeking almost shyly from behind them and a slightly rosy colour had been splashed over his cheek bones. But even if his position looked rather relaxed, his eyebrows were furrowed.

The short girl scowled a little as well. _Mou… Why?_ Of its own volition, her right hand rose, inching closer and closer to the taut skin of his forehead.

She really shouldn't have given in to the temptation.

The next couple of moments went by so, so quickly, the dark haired female wasn't even quite sure **how** it even happened. Even now.

All she knew was that he suddenly took a sharp intake of breath while snapping his eyes wide open at the same time. And at the back of her mind, she remembered noticing how his pupils were dilated, the teal shade reduced to a barely discernible ring around them.

And then, just like that, the .45 long colt had been pointed right to the middle of her forehead.

Now, even back then she clearly knew he'd never kill another living soul. But hell, one doesn't _think_ when a friggin' _**gun**_ _**barrel**_ is pressing down against their skull.

"V-Vash-san..?"

How could she have guessed he had been having a nightmare?

Of course that when he came around and fully woke up just a few scant seconds later (which felt like eons), he immediately let go of the firearm, careless of where it fell, apologised so much to the point where Meryl barely understood what he said…

But still, it happened.

The fear had been there too, clear as day. Disturbing and so very real.

Silently, in each of their heads, long after she went back to her own room, they agreed that this would not be spoken of again.

The only reminder of it would be the fact that now Meryl had discovered many more details about his colt that even he disregarded.

That was all.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Aho: **Idiot.  
**Mou:** Meh.  
**-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Next one will be lighter, promise x) but I wanted to post today and today wasn't a good day for me, so yeah. Review? Please?


	24. Organisation

**Dark: **Internet problems, that's my excuse… Thank you for over 3200 hits. Only 1/100 of that for reviews, but thanks either way. More are welcome. Please.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Opposites  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Hinted VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **Differences can be overcome.

* * *

ºººººº **Organisation **ºººººº

Meryl Stryfe liked order…

…Fine, she _loved_ order.

The insurance agent preferred to have her every day life filled out and scheduled, perfectly predictable. She made lists of the tasks that needed to be done and had lists of what lists to make. Her desk was constantly reorganised and cleaned and reset some more.

Take her regular reports for instance. The sheet to be used was looked over four times to check for faults (the reproved sheets were for her to-do lists afterwards; she wasn't wasteful!) and her typewriter was cleaned every single day to keep the ink from ruining anything. Once all was typed, she'd read it over six times to check for errors or splashes of ink and _only_ _then_ would she start on the envelope to Bernardelli, which would have to have the seal perfect and the address unmistakably comprehensible.

It was these little details that kept her going day after day. The short woman **lived** for these moments, to have a methodical, neat kind of life.

Now, this brought along a terrible problem, despite the odds: the monotony. A sense of constant ennui that was slightly annoying.

Maybe this was one of the main reasons why she chose field work, for the lack of adventure she had in her daily existence.

On the other hand, Vash the Stampede did not really have a choice; whether he liked an orderly way of life or not, he was a walking talking disaster, no way around that.

Most of the times, his days began and ended in a rather calm way: wake up to train for three hours, lie down on bed-or-something-like-it and hope that no heavy hangover starts due to his equally heavy drinking.

It was always the _rest_ of the hours of the day that ruined this. A bounty hunter here, a few kids there, his brother adding in the mix every now and then… Yup, none of it his fault, not really.

But due to all of this, he could never predict what would happen in any occasion. It was kind of frustrating actually, especially when you wanted to eat. Vash enjoyed respecting his preferred time to have lunch and dinner, thank you very much. But more often than not, this was always ruined by one thing or another that kept being thrown in his way.

Unasked for, obviously!

Of course that this meant he never had a routine, which was good. If there was something the blond man liked, that would be adventure and trying out different things, but please, **every** single day?

However, these two situations may actually end up fitting, even if the two subjects in question can't really notice it because of their suffering from a case of extra stubbornness.

Opposites attract, that was what they always say.

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end. 

**Dark: **This was one piece that came out completely upside down xDD it started in one way, ended in a completely different kind of way. Hope it's not that noticeable, though n.n;;;


	25. Hair

**Dark:** Still with connection problems. Plus my tests. Forgive me for the lateness. Oh, yeah, by the way, I REACHED OVER 3600 DAMN HITS, HAHAHA! But so little reviews xDDD Christ, I think I'm demented. I shall blame it on Knives x)

* * *

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Angel  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Lightly VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Wolfwood,Meryl, a blow-dryer and her purple comb. The hell?

ºººººº **Hair** ºººººº

"Anou, Vash-san, you shouldn't walk around with your hair wet like that. It's a cold night after all." Millie spoke up as soon as said gunman entered the ladies' room, pausing her _Millie Monthly_.

"I'll handle it, big girl." He offered her a wide smile and, as an after thought, a wink. "Say, Wolfwood said he'd be here before I showered."

"Oh, he is! Boukushi-san is near the bathroom door with sempai."

Vash lifted an eyebrow. That the priest was with a woman was not too unusual, but the short girl instead of Millie? "Eh?"

The innocent agent looked proud of herself. "I told him he shouldn't walk 'round with his hair wet either and he asked if I could do something about it, but I told him sempai's hands are much better than mine when it comes to that." She giggled, "So, she's blow-drying his hair."

It wasn't that the young-looking man had experience with blow-drying one's hair, quite the contrary, but really, the other man's hair was short and the outlaw had used the past ten minutes to shower and redress. It couldn't _still_ be wet, right? "Oh?" A bit curious now, Vash headed towards the bathroom. And lifted both eyebrows this time.

Nicholas was stretched out on a fluffy looking chair, head completely tilted backwards. Just behind said chair, stood Meryl. On the table beside them, there was a small blow-dryer and what he knew was her comb; hers was the purple one, while Millie had a pale yellow coloured one. But what caused him to wonder was the fact that she was running her fingers through the black haired male's short strands. Said person looked like he was really enjoying himself while the young woman, on the other hand, just seemed bored.

As he approached, she casually looked up at him, blinked, then smiled.

_The Almighty Short One, smiling? At __**me**?!._

"Vash-san! Would you like me to blow-dry your hair too?"

"Err…"

Wolfwood snapped his eyes open at that and glared at him, as if to say 'Don't you dare say yes, Tongari!'

_Mou…_ The blond furrowed his eyebrows a little. What the hell had happened here? The relationship between these two was based among friendly irony, nothing else. When had that evolved into grooming one another? "Sure, insurance girl. It's a cold night after all."

"Off you go Wolfwood-san." Her voice was sweeter, much sweeter than usual. The woman did look quite pleased with herself though.

The same couldn't be said for the previously mentioned person, who walked away from them in what could almost be described as a sulk, hands in his pockets and heading in Millie's general direction. "Enjoy it while it lasts, Spikey." He muttered over his shoulder. Then added something lower from which only a few words such as "She… angel… hands…" could be caught.

"Thanks for saving me." Meryl said as he took the priest's previous seat. "My hands were starting to feel rather numb, but I had never seen him so relaxed before; I didn't have it in me to say anything. You proved to be an excellent excuse."

"Do itashimashite." The plant grinned lightly. "Although, you'll still take care of my hair, won't you?"

He heard her amused chuckle as she connected the plug and socket together. "Sure. It's just that "petting" someone's hair for long does get tiring after a while, you know." One slender finger traced an imaginary line near the top of his head, parting the sodden strands there and making him repress a pleasant shiver. The soft teeth of her comb took care of whatever tangle he might've had, something he didn't really care to do until the next day when he'd spike it up.

The blow-dryer was then turned on after no more obstructions were found by the comb, which was tucked in the hem of the loose pair of pants she had on. Absently, he noted that those looked like pyjama bottoms.

Then, something other than the thin teeth of the comb was felt threading and separating his locks. It was still something thin, but not nearly as much. The touch felt truly heavenly, like the five fingertips of some ethereal being, just like an angel's-

His eyes widened. It _was_ someone's fingers, Meryl's, of course. But seeing that she only used those (and the rest of the hand or the whole limb, sometimes) to hit him and that he was feeling rather relaxed instead of pained, it hadn't clicked right away.

The hot air from the electric device threw his locks this and that way and then, her free hand would gently separate the strands, finger-combing, checking to see if they were still damp and also feeding his sensitive nerves all the more, all at the same time. She had chosen to start on the left side of his head.

But damn, Wolfwood had been completely right, if he indeed had caught the correct translation of the minister's last sentence. _Her fingers are just like an angel's._ He smiled; the irony of that statement wasn't lost to him either.

"I didn't know you could do that, short girl." He didn't even notice that his voice was quieter and softer than usual, closer to his real tone, the tone that he chose not to use in favour to the higher, more happy-go-lucky-like one, the tone he only opted to use in serious situations because he couldn't afford the partial concentration to change it.

"It doesn't take a genius to blow-dry one's hair, dobe." Lightly, almost playfully, she pulled on his earring. "But I did perfect my technique with Millie; she loves it when I dry her hair. Says she likes it when someone plays with it."

One corner of his lips curled up at hearing the sarcasm in her second phrase. "Sou. You straighten her hair then?"

"Mm hm." At that, he almost jumped out of the chair. That sounded really close to his right ear, near the spot she was currently taking care of. She had caught a nasty, uncooperative tangle. "I don't mind. I did it when mine was long and heck, my parents know how much I liked it when they played with it."

Vash couldn't hold back a snicker. "**You **had long hair, Miss Practical?"

His first answer was a bonk to the head. "Up until I was 17, yes. It reached the small of my back and was layered, if you really wish to know." Her reply was snappish and given in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Why did you cut it?"

Her voice changed then; quiet and hesitant. "My own reasons. I felt I needed the change." _Felt the need to lose my fear of cutting it, no restrains and no turning back from it. I did it myself too. But as to the __**real **__why, I can't bring myself to voice it to you just yet, Vash-sa- Vash._

The teal eyed man decided to drop the subject. _Sounds like it's a sensitive issue for her…_ Just as he searched for something else to say in order to break the silence, the sound of the blow-dryer stopped with a _click_. The half-sleepy haziness he had felt before was gone just as quickly. "You're done already?" His hair didn't feel wet at all. Unfortunately. Maybe he could go back to the bathroom, wet it again and say it was an accident?

"It's dry, isn't it? Let me just comb it for you." The comb returned, gently straightening out the unruly bangs. One by one, the strands fell slowly, now lighter and in a rather tidy fashion. Well, as tidy as his impossible hair allowed. Man, did it have to be over already? "Is it ok?"

"I guess. Thanks, insurance girl."

"It was nothing." Finally up on his feet again, he was still on time to catch her soft smile. "Your hair is much softer than Wolfwood-san's, you know."

Ooh, something he could rub in the priest's face was always welcome! "Honto?"

"It's thicker, but smoother. It's a pleasure to play with it, I'm sure." Said smile widened. A nostalgic feeling crept its way to his mind; Rem had always said that his and Knives' hair were like the angels'. And like she was reading his mind, Meryl then voiced the exact same expression the late woman used to say, causing a pang somewhere around the left side of his chest. "Just like an angel's." then, her voice grew quieter. "Perhaps it's because you're…" Pause. "…you know."

A plant.

Perhaps, who knew. But somehow, the unwanted reminder coming from her that he wasn't human, that he was different, didn't sadden him as it usually would. His mind was still focusing on something else. His eyes strayed to her hands, slender fingers of one covering the other.

_Nah, shortie. You're the angel._

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
Anou: **Umm.  
**-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Boukushi:** Priest.  
**Mou:** Feh.  
**Do itashimashite:** You're welcome.  
**Dobe: **Stupid.  
**Sou:** I see.  
**Honto: **Really.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Yeah, sure, so maybe in Gunsmoke there's no real purpose for a blow-dryer, but bear with me xDD And don't find all that strange, I literally stalk and threaten my parents to blow-dry my hair, hehe xP


	26. Injury

**Dark: **Weeee, I'm happy, this is on time, so yeah, enjoy this while I go back to study! xDD

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Wound  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Light VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Vash learns a whole different meaning behind having a scar.

* * *

ºººººº **Injury** ºººººº

"Vash-san."

The gunslinger quickly looked up, heavy worry and even heavier guilt swimming in his teal irises. "I'm sorry, did I-"

"No, you didn't hurt me." Meryl sighed deeply, "It's clean now, you can let go. It doesn't even hurt anymore, honest."

He did so, but didn't look in the least bit convinced, not at all. Much to her frustration.

_Can't he take a hint?! Never mind that, what about __**himself**__!? He does this all the time, how come he's suddenly downright __terrorized__ with what I've just done?_

Lord, was _she_ really that cold to everyone that her action looked like something had possessed her?

The quartet was, once again, attacked by bandits. Or, to be more exact, the inn they were in was attacked by them. They just happened to be spending a night there.

(Meryl would actually believe it was in fact a simple coincidence, but she had lost that hope long, long ago and started to believe that it was Vash himself that attracted all the bad luck in the planet.)

The inevitable confrontation followed; Wolfwood took one half, Vash the other. This didn't quite fit the girls, (_What, do they think we found Vash by playing the roles of damsels in distress?_) but they did get a few shots in as well. Scaring each of the two men half to death when they did, but that had been their own fault.

Somehow, in the middle of the maddening confusion, one of the enemies managed to come a bit closer than the others. All four of them hadn't paid much attention to the guy, true enough, since he was wielding a katana instead, so he'd need to be in partial close range to do any harm (if he threw his weapon at them instead, he'd have none, so everyone instantly discarded the possibility) and neither thought he'd be able to.

The fact was, the man did.

And it was also a fact that his right arm poised itself in just the right way to run the blade through the red-clad plant, who at the particular moment was occupied with six other opponents.

And it was **also **another fact that Vash could take care of the man without even blinking, had Meryl reminded herself that his prosthetic arm hid a very handy machine gun.

But the insurance agent had decided right in the next following seconds that she _hadn't_ even been thinking when she threw herself in the way of the bandit, back to back with the Humanoid Typhoon.

And she didn't even realize that she had been rather lucky that the blond man was as fast shooting as he was fast to letting go of the trigger. The remaining three, though, noticed that it was by a hairsbreadth that her leg wasn't shot as well.

Instead, only the short sword ran through her right hand and was taken out right after.

Vash had immediately stepped forward to treat her wound as soon as the whole mess regarding the assault was done and over with; the town's doctor wasn't there at the moment. And here they were, her pale hand fully dressed in a rather professional kind of way, with the partially long gash precisely disinfected for almost fifteen minutes now, then tended to with an odd coloured liquid that made her nose itch. For the last five whole minutes, the outlaw hadn't stopped turning and moving her hand this way and that to check if the bandages would be stained with blood or not. Just a glance at his expression hurt; his guilt was almost palpable.

_But why? I was the one who got in the way, it had nothing to do with him._

"I'm sorry." He finally sighed, sitting down beside her. Meryl had lost count on how many times he had said that in the past hour.

Her eyes rolled, "Stop saying that, I told you it's fine." then she got up. Her injured hand came up to brush away some of her bangs from her eyes to show him her point exactly while ignoring the sharp pain that caused. "And don't you go say this was your fault too."

"But it **was** my fault, short girl." His bright eyes lowered and darkened again with guilt. "If I-"

_Oh no, not this again…_ "Yes, Vash, if you didn't _exist_, none of it would've happened." The short woman made exaggerated gestures with her hands, emphasizing her sarcasm further more, "Or, if you had eyes in the back of your head, it wouldn't have happened either. _Or_, if I hadn't done anything, along with your fantastic luck, maybe the guy would let go of the sword after you'd shoot him and it would slit your throat and you'd bleed to death."

At least, she was rewarded with the smallest of smiles from him, "That's not-"

"I'm not done, boke." Again using her right hand, she flicked his forehead. "Stop putting everything on your shoulders. There's just so much a person can take, human or plant." She smiled in what she believed was a reassuring way, "This was my choice. Wasn't it your choice too when you got a few of your own scars? Because you wanted to protect something you considered worthy of being spared the pain you went through?"

But instead of the wanted reaction, the man's unexplainable eyes dropped back to her hand with a forlorn look about them, "I don't think that your comparison will change my mind. Especially since **I** am not worthy of being spared-" blinking, he looked up at her, interrupting himself more out of the shock that one of her fingertips was placed over his lips than anything else.

In her own oddly coloured eyes, there was something, an emotion he wasn't quite sure how to properly name. Almost as a thought said aloud, she spoke quietly, "I hope this wound scars. That way, I'll have at least one thing in common with you, Vash the Stampede."

"A scar?" a both sad and ironic grin came across his lips. Her words revived that portion of shame that had reached its peak the first time the two agents had caught him bare-chested, "That's hardly something to be proud of, insurance girl… My scars- They are proof of my mistakes."

"No, not the scar itself." She shook her head as if he had just said the silliest thing. That made him feel as if he was a child again, back under the care of Rem. "But the meaning behind it. I will remember you by through it. And, perhaps, I will become a better person that way. Like you are."

"A… better person like I am?" Puzzled, Vash lifted an eyebrow.

"You may even believe in whatever you think about yourself, trust that it is the truth." Again, she shook her head. And smiled. Meryl Stryfe had never before resembled Rem Saverem so much. "But you've a heart purer than any human's. And that heart of yours isn't, and can never be, scarred. Most people can't say that for themselves. Because they allow their hearts to scar. You don't. Every other place, yes, but never your heart."

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Boke:** Stupid.  
**Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Some action for a small change (xDD) and just a tad bit of fluff n.n Liked it? **Review**!! _NOW_! Pretty please xDDD


	27. Bonds

**Dark: **In the period of three weeks, I've gotten over 1000 hits o.O wow, I'm truly shocked. And 4 reviews:D Thank you very much! n.n Haha, I'm so happy I even posted this earlier! So yeah, keep reviewing, and I'll post faster, what do you say, hm? x)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Family  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **General/Angst  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** A very light reference to the final of the series, indirectly implicit.  
**Summary: **Families are hard to envision. Meryl can't understand them.

* * *

ºººººº **Bonds** ºººººº

_I can never understand them._

That was one of Meryl's many thoughts.

She could not bring herself to understand Millie, Vash or Knives.

Millie came from a very, very numerous family. She had a ton of brothers and sisters, dozens of cousins and possibly hundreds of uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces, who knew. At any given chance, the big girl would always visit her farm, quite a few thousand iles away from December, Meryl's own hometown, then come back to work and unwind every single thing that had happened of new.

Usually, the older woman would nod once in a while, laugh at this or that and enjoy the whole thing, but sometimes, she just wasn't in the mood.

She couldn't bring herself to always just pretend to know what the hell she was talking about. The bonds with her family were fragile and quickly thinning. She was an only child (and really, she was quite proud of the fact, thank you very much!) and her father had passed away a few years ago. The only person she had left that was close to her in family was her mother and she wasn't even particularly close to her.

Too many differences in opinion, her father used to say. He was also the one who usually broke up the arguments, but with him somewhere where neither woman could follow…

She only had two cousins anyway and neither bothered to keep contact. Uncles and aunts much less. All fell apart sooner or later.

Then, there were the twins.

Despite the huge differences, their bond was clear. Very much so. Neither had said plants were able to communicate telepathically, but Meryl found that said detail was obvious.

Sometimes, she entered the room and they were intently looking at each other. Knives barely changed expressions, but Vash did, almost as if he was in a mute conversation. Which was true, after all.

Smaller things were noticeable too. Vash barely leaving his brother's bedside, not wanting him to wake up on his own. Or when once, a few days after Knives was able to finally walk around in the house, during breakfast, a cup of hot coffee happened to be on a rather precarious position just near Vash's elbow. The inevitable occurred, as it always did around Vash the Stampede, but Knives caught said mug and placed it in the middle of the table. Some drops still fell on said golden haired man's arm, but not nearly the same quantity that _would_ have fallen.

Also, she caught the older twin rubbing at the exact same spot of his own arm where the hot beverage had fallen, even if it had nothing to do with him. She had heard of twins feeling each other's pain; maybe she had just witnessed said fact.

But no, not her. She could not understand the love between family members quite like that. She was just an only child, she was used to look after her own self, care only for herself. How could she picture herself growing up with someone her age right beside her?

But sometimes, as Millie spoke over and over and over about a slightly annoying great-great grandmother of a second degree cousin of her father's side, Meryl could pretend she heard the very, very old woman whining about her stolen poncho, imagine she was in the middle of a war with water balloons flying over her head while toddlers crawled in between her legs.

Sometimes, when the twins would start an unfounded argument based on something neither could even recall anymore and Vash would whine to her later, Meryl could smile and pretend, for a little while, that she was just like them, perhaps a close cousin, imagine that she had grown up with them by her side, doing crazy, weird things like usual cousins would.

Pretending and imagining never took anyone anywhere. But she kept doing it still.

She still had hope.

_Owari_

* * *

**Vocabulary:****  
****Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **More reviews? n.n Pleeeeeease?? xDD


	28. The Spider

**Dark: **This piece has always been on my mind ever since I saw the scene of the spider and the butterfly n.n And thanks to Nightheart, for reviewing and also sharing my opinion ;) (since you've reviewed as anonymous, ne xP). Hope you all enjoy x) Please review.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Fear  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **Humour  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Indirect spoilers.  
**Summary: **Why spiders? Was the twins' first disagreement with the butterfly and the spider the sole reason why Knives refers to humans as "spiders"? But perhaps an innocent experience had an underline for a more serious issue.

* * *

ºººººº **The Spider** ºººººº

Something was tickling his skin just below his chin.

A pair of very light coloured eyebrows furrowed a little. Knives was too comfortable to reach out and scratch the spot.

The young boy was lying down on the soft, fluffy grass of the Rec Room, on his back, tiny legs spread wide, left arm under his head and right one resting somewhere on his stomach.

Some distance away, his twin was in a rather similar position, but turned 180 degrees around. Their foster mother couldn't accompany them this time, since the whole crew was having a meeting right now, a rather _long_ one, and neither child wished to stick around and fall asleep when they could doze off with the scent of the moist earth tickling their noses ever so gently in the room they were in instead.

Because of those reasons, he could not ask Vash nor Rem to scratch it for him.

Unfortunately, the platinum blond was feeling particularly lazy that day. Really, he did _**not**_ feel like moving, not at all.

Tch, who would, in his position? Warmth coming from the sky above, even if synthetic, plus the dew of the grass… he couldn't be better. It felt good, natural, and he wanted to stay that way…

…If only that little, annoying, _**stupid**_ itch disappeared!

It seemed it had moved somehow. Instead of his chin, it was now prickling a spot just below his mouth. And just above it, he could feel something starting there too, disturbing the very, very short, very, very light hairs that dusted his skin.

It had a crescent evolution.

The youth snorted. Ha, not funny.

Resigned, he took a deeper breath and finally let it out through his nose. Intense blue eyes finally opened after much effort and looked down as much as possible. Blinking once, they widened.

Unaware of his brother's little problem, Vash kept his own eyes closed, a soft, faint smile curving his lips as he enjoyed a light breeze tousling his locks every once in a while. It would be just perfect, if only Rem-

He frowned. _Something's not quite right._ The darker blond could swear he had felt something akin to a sharp anxiousness, then fear coming from-

"GYAHHHHHHHHHH!!"

In less than half a second, he was on his stomach, teal eyes looking agitatedly around for the source of Knives' hassle.

Vash paused.

His twin, eyes as big as saucers, was looking intently at something on the ground, breathing hard. He had scooted backwards in what looked like a hasty way and seemed very wary.

_What happened?_

Curious, albeit a little insecure, the younger plant approached him, placing a hand over the other's shoulder. While Vash was a bit more timid and doubtful when it came to new experiments such as knowing the crew better or exploring the ship on his own without Knives and/or Rem, his brother rarely needed incentive, even if he was wiser, more placid and less energetic with everything he did. And if there was something that had scared him quite like that…

Sadly, the sudden contact only startled Knives further more and the poor boy let out another yelp that did not quite hide his attempt to calm himself while being frightened and failing. It resulted on him getting up as quickly as he possibly could, hesitate on what direction to run (he had been startled both from his front and behind after all), then finally put some distance from what had attacked him this time.

The unexpected move caused his brother to be startled as well (their telepathic link kept sending him more and more jumbles of apprehension and dread, which did not help) and almost lose his balance. "Knives, it's just me! What's wrong?"

Still on shaky legs (and not taking his eyes from the ground for some weird reason), the other slowly regained his breath. "I… it was…"

"Eh?" the teal eyed child tilted his head to the side in confusion.

Whilst an adorable pout made its way over his features, Knives huffed. : Oh, just see it for yourself… :

Allowing the memory of what had just happened to overcome his senses, Vash closed his eyes for a moment.

This transition let him see what Knives had seen and felt and heard, which sometimes was better than explaining. Thankfully, being occupied, he did not see the very light rosy tinge that the top of the other plant's cheek bones adopted, which the latter appreciated.

Lost in his own mind for the moment, Vash felt his eyes slowly open, feeling the ennui his twin had felt over the light itch. And the source of the fear.

It was large, for one.

Black. Hairy. Big.

From such a close range, he could even see the blue of his eyes – that were not really his eyes – reflected in its own eyes. And the fangs, those ugly fangs.

There was a huge, ugly spider crawling over him.

In his surprise, Knives had yelled and brushed it aside as quickly as possible, adrenaline and shock high in his system.

Once it was over, Vash just couldn't help himself.

Casually falling on his back, he laughed at the silly situation. "Ah, it was just a spider! 95 per cent of the arachnids aren't harmful, you know that, Knives!!"

"Yeah well, I'd like to see what **you** would do if you were me!" angrily crossing his arms over his chest, his brother didn't spare him a look. Then, a very pleased grin crossed his lips.

His foot rose and quickly came down again upon the earth, hard and unforgiving.

The laughing stopped and the other stood, walking up to the older plant's side.

"You… you killed it, Knives. Why?"

"Because it made me afraid of it when I had no reason to, like you said. Stupid spider."

_Owari_

* * *

**  
****Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **My (possible) view for another reason as to why Knives chose the term "spider" x) And I do relate to him about that, honestly!! xDD I'm deathly afraid of spiders, really , cannot see one without freaking out n.n;;; Sorry for the "crescent evolution" part xDD couldn't help myself. Maths is eating at my mind, so that just popped up o.O Reviews?


	29. Hardships

**Dark: **Thank you, my faithful reviewers! And over 5200 hits!! n.n Special thanks to Jaythorne for more than making my day ;)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

:: … :: is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Thin  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** A very light reference to the final of the series, indirectly implicit.  
**Summary: **Sometimes, an easy-going Vash isn't enough to solve all problems of the house.

* * *

ºººººº **Hardships** ºººººº

In such a remote no-name town, mail was always constantly late. Consequentially, the correspondence between the field agents and the Bernardelli Insurance company was few and far in between.

That was the main reason that led Meryl to the conclusion that the cheque the enterprise sent them every month would not be enough. And after talking to Millie about it, both women decided they needed part-time jobs.

During the week Vash had made his leave to face Knives for the last time, things went ok, their "money vault" even grew a little.

That was why the older agent, the one responsible for all the expenses in their rented house, actually agreed on a larger than necessary dinner the day the twins returned, one grinning from ear-to-ear, the other fully unconscious.

It was weeks later that she regretted it.

Biting her lip, Meryl redoubled her efforts to wipe out a large dirty spot on the counter. The rent she paid on the day before almost brought her to tears.

She was so, so tired too… Lately, for a few more double dollars, she had accepted the nasty job of cleaning dishes at night. That meant even less time to sleep.

On the other side of the saloon, Vash brought up the glass of scotch he was drinking, deeply analysing it. _Maybe I shouldn't have come here to have a drink…_ The insurance girl was so intent on her work that she hadn't even noticed him enter and order the beverage.

This was a bad thing; by now, said beverage should have been thrown all over him because it was bad to him, made him lazy and most of all, it was a waste of money.

His eyes narrowed then. Was it just him or she looked really thin? Not that she _wasn't_ thin to begin with, but the waitress outfit looked a bit baggy near her waist.

And also, a few nights back…

"Sempai, there isn't enough food for the four of us here…" Millie had said from the table.

"I know… It's just that I'm not feeling too well. I'm off to bed now, ok?" Meryl offered her a smile, one that somehow looked rather strained. As she passed by the other side of the table to head out of the room, Vash could've sworn he heard her stomach rumbling.

It seemed like it was time for him to have a talk with her.

Hours later, long past mid-night, Meryl finally arrived home.

Vash got up from one of the chairs in the kitchen, "Have you eaten anything today," He pausing for effect. "Meryl?"

The young woman literally jumped, "Bloody hell, what the heck were you thinking- you want to give me a heart attack or something!?" the last part was snappy.

"Sumimasen." Regret, however, was not in his voice. "Have you?"

She put down her small purse, running a hand through her hair. The action made it go every which way, "I had two sandwiches around noon, just before the rush hour. And a few bites after dinner time." Her hand waved in a dismissive way.

_Gotcha._ By the time the gunslinger went into the saloon, it had been half way through dinner. And she hadn't stopped running around. But he would let it slide. "You still look thinner than usual. You should eat some more, Insurance Girl." Again, his tone did not hide the partial annoyance he felt. This wasn't right.

"Really, I'm fi-"

The not so quiet sound of a plate being brought down on the table interrupted her, followed by a glass of water. The force behind it caused a bit of said liquid to splash on the smooth surface.

Meryl gulped silently. The normally placid plant looked determined; his narrowed eyes glowed with it.

"You haven't been eating because we're running low on money. I'm aware of that, don't lie. But you can't keep doing it and still work the way you do." One long finger was placed on the brim of the plate. Said item was pushed forward. "Eat."

Inwardly knowing he'd probably go as far as to forcefully sit her down or even spoon-feed her, she pushed back the chair and settled down while the man walked over to the wall and flicked the lights on.

For the next thirty minutes, the only sounds in the house beyond Millie's soft snoring were the metallic clinks of tableware hitting the clay of the plate.

"Tomorrow," Vash's tone was now much softer, nearly a whisper, an unspoken apology, as he took the wet dish from her hands and dried it with a cloth, "I'll go with you to the saloon." He didn't glance her way as her surprised eyes turned to watch him. "I'll ask your boss how much he'll pay me for washing dishes. Then, I'll check with Millie's foreman too, see what's best." He flashed her a smile then, "I think I've lazed about enough and I don't want to be able to count down your ribs again quite like that, short girl."

Instead of getting a smack for the comment, the blond caught the sight of a real smile from her part. _Much, much better._

_Owari_

_

* * *

_

**  
****Vocabulary:****  
Sumimasen:** Forgive me.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Bit different than usual x) Hope you enjoy it, though! I'm almost half way through exam period and I promise next post will be one of my best works n.n At least, that's what I think xP Next comes Injury xDD a small angsty-romance piece. Keyword is beautiful. In your opinion, towards whom that adjective will be directed to, hm:P


	30. Eyes Wide Open

**Dark: **Here it is, as promised n.n personally, I do consider this one as my best one x) Hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it, even if I tweaked it quite a few times till it finally sounded just like I wanted it to :D

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Beautiful  
**Rating:** T (M-ish? Nah, don't think so)  
**Genre: **Angst/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Implicit intimate situations? Well, it **is **implicit. And small details about the ending.  
**Summary: **Meryl can't simply watch him keep doing it anymore and do nothing about it. It hurts too much.

* * *

ºººººº **Eyes Wide Open** ºººººº

For all his intelligence, Vash was dense. Very much so.

And for all his insight, he was the blindest person she knew.

Most of the times, Meryl simply dropped the subject, throwing her hands up in the air and walking out of the room right after.

She knew his determination knew no bounds, but this was stubbornness.

And she had had enough.

With his right hand behind his head, Vash sighed and kept his bionic one on a tight hold over the hem of his shirt. If Meryl didn't want to rip it in two (which looked as if she was pondering to do so), she'd eventually let go.

"You **really** are a complete idiot, aren't you?"

He didn't answer. He knew she was mad already. Their previous activities had proven it.

With Knives still unconscious, this petite fire-breather had actually taken the first step of their relationship. And it had taken him weeks of refusal and many sessions of deep thinking, but the younger plant finally conceded.

The time from there to sleeping on one bed and to other things hadn't taken half as much.

But one thing had not changed (and would remain that way if Vash had anything to do with it). As soon as he'd caught his breath, his arms would fish for his clothes strewn around the floor and he'd redress, preferring to keep it that way than even thinking about the possibility of Meryl feeling revolted by his scars.

She'd continuously say she did _**not**_ care in the least about that and up till some point, he knew she didn't, but he felt much better if his disfigured lanky frame wasn't contrasting with her perfect one.

Every time this happened, though, she tried again and again for him to stay dressed as she was, which meant not dressed at all. And when he did not (could not) do it, she'd redress as well.

This afternoon, it had led to a small argument between them that had had its climax inside the room. And no, not in the figurative sense of the word.

Now, of course that Vash would never hurt her, even if their last round of love making had been their harsher one as of yet. But she hadn't cared about the way she bit his neck or slightly scratched his shoulders, lost in rapture.

In the end, like all other times, she had still said that same sentence once more. "You're beautiful."

And he had just given her the same answer. "No, I'm not."

Their argument continued, but in softer and not angered tones. Just some sort of saddened order-like sentences coming from her such as "Please take them of… Please, Vash." that had no effect on him and one-worded replies from his part, if he ever answered her at all.

But a strange touch near his right elbow made him open his eyes.

No, not quite a touch. A tear.

Quickly lifting his hues to lock with hers since she was sitting up and he was lying down, something tightened in his chest, painful and heart wrenching, as the crystalline drops kept falling, never once pausing.

"Don't do this. I don't care what you may think about what those scars mean to you, how ashamed you are of-" there was a deep hurt in her deep dark grey eyes. "Please, just let me bear that shame with you if you can't accept that they don't make you any less than what you were before you had them." So completely vulnerable under his gaze, she then wrapped her arms around herself after letting go of his clothes.

And Vash was suddenly put in her position. The way one arm covered her small breasts away from his view, her other one also trying to cover as much of her stomach as possible and her legs folded beneath her…

It really made him feel as if she was hiding her body from his eyes. But not because of her shame on it… but because of shame for him. His eyes widened.

_Is that what she thinks? That I hide my scars not for my shame of them, but shame for her seeing them? God, no._ Very hesitantly, his right hand joined his left at the hem of his shirt. Closing his eyes, Vash took it off, then did the same to the loose pants. Not saying anything at all and not even chancing a look in her direction, he lied back down, feeling rather uncomfortable as he heard for any sign that Meryl was still crying. There was none, but nevertheless, the outlaw kept his head away from her, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.

A whispered and shaky "Thank you." sounded then, so quiet he almost thought he had imagined it, but slender fingers then reached to his right hand and reverently traced the scar that marred the back of it. In reaction, his own fingers flexed due to the tension he was feeling then.

Meryl did not forget any. She trailed her fingertips over every single one of them, old and not-so-old ones, deep and not-so-deep ones, with a feather-like touch. Whenever passing by a metal implant, she kept to the skin that defined its limits.

Even after she was done, even then, he was still tense and itching to cover himself, but a very small, furtive glance towards her as she redrew his newest wound – the one made by Knives' bullet on his left shoulder –, showed him that there were still tears in her unfathomable eyes, but happiness had taken over the sadness he had first seen in them. Her slow, nostalgic, yet soft smile also gave him enough reason to stay put a while longer, if it would mean that she wouldn't cry again because of his worthless self.

The young woman then placed a warm hand over his chest and out of instinct, he glanced her way. Even now, he kept wondering why there was so much gratefulness in her hues.

And she repeated herself. "You are. You're beautiful."

And he changed his reply. "Just not as much as you are."

_Owari_

* * *

**  
****Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Ooh, so much symbolism, huh... :P I think it came to me rather naturally n.n Please review and tell me what you thought xP The title stands for a song I very much like, by Keane.


	31. Infection

**Dark: **Forgive me, I know I'm late this week, but I've been busy. Still trying to catch on my sleep and relax a little for next term… I would've updated yesterday, but one of my two birds decided it was time to die.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Care  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** Light VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Implicit spoilers for the end of the series.  
**Summary: **Knives contemplates while he is treated.

* * *

ºººººº **Infection** ºººººº

Ice blue eyes narrowed as she calmly undid the bandage on his right leg. Her hands were precise and only meant business, he could tell. There was no exaggerated pressure on the bullet wound to increase his pain and/or discomfort, no lack of professionalism at all, just the same gestures he had previously seen her perform on the wound on the shoulder of his damnable twin.

Knives still had no idea as to why though.

She was a human, a stupid little short spider. She should be running away, far away from him. Or attempt to kill him. Either one was what he considered normal behaviour.

Not irrationally tending to his injuries, never letting them get infected.

This one was either trying to get on his good side or had gone insane; this was the illation that Millions Knives found.

It was idiotic of her part too. He **knew** she couldn't stand him. His insults irked her, yet she bit her tongue. Possibly because of his dear brother. At this and also at her peculiar conduct, he smiled ever so faintly.

"You intrigue me, human." Not half as much as her bigger friend, _that_ one was a perfect exception to all he had witnessed, but this one was a complete contradiction. The platinum blond could see, in the way her eyes flashed sometimes, that all she wished to do was throw him out of the house and let him rot there for all she cared. So, why didn't she? More importantly, how come she went out of her way to make sure he stayed healthy?

"That's nice, Knives-san." Meryl uncorked the small bottle of alcohol, letting some fall onto a piece of cotton. She then reached out, dabbing it carefully over the abrasion. "What do you want me to do about it?"

_Dissecting you would be interesting for starters, spider._ "Why is it that you are never negligent when treating me? Do correct me if I happen to be wrong, but I highly doubt that you're a masochist." An amused smirk crossed his lips; he could already see the telltale redness over her cheeks that said she was trying to keep her anger in control, "Then again, your species is quite disturbing, it wouldn't surprise me."

In return, she smiled. It looked more like a snarl though. "Oh, don't get the wrong idea, Knives-**kun**, I'd be delighted if you'd try to get up, lean on the windowsill, lose your balance and fall down two storeys. The thing is, I'm also sure that that would hurt your twin quite a lot, so I try not to hope for that many times."

"I'm flattered, little spider." The flaxen haired plant sneered, sarcasm dripping from every word. "That still doesn't explain why you're doing your best to keep my wounds from getting infected though."

"And I've answered you already, oh great one." While applying a bit of hydrating cream, she pressed a bit more than necessary. Knives, on the other hand, had no reaction whatsoever. Still, both knew he had felt the searing pain. "The answer is Vash. I'm doing it for him."

He then huffed. The expression "Always him, isn't it?" seemed to float in the air in between them.

The woman finally sighed. "You just don't understand it." At the look of utter indignation, she added, "Or you don't want to. That's my only explanation." Reaching around her, she picked up the bandages again and levelled his leg up a little. "It's beyond me, but you mean a lot to your brother."

Knives' head turned to the left, towards the wall and away from her. At the back of his mind, he did know the main reason behind that. The whole crew of the SEEDs flagship was dead, by his hand. But ironically, their murderer was all Vash had left of his family. The closest to him at least, without counting their sisters. The younger plant needed him. During the years of separation, many were the attempts to communicate telepathically, even if the killer of millions ignored them all.

"And…" absently, he focused on the short human again. "And as infuriating as that may be even for me – not only you –, I care for him a whole lot. I… wish to see him happy, I wish he didn't have to suffer any more. So, I promised myself I'd do what I could to do just that." As he glanced at her, she did the same. They locked eyes for that single split second. "And if you staying alive and well means that he's happier than he has been, then mark my words, I will make sure you do stay alive and well. I'll even hold you down if I have to."

_"Bring eternal suffering to Vash the Stampede!" _That sentence echoed loudly in his mind. An ache started to be felt near his temples.

His artic blues closed tightly. "You don't have to, woman."

_I don't wish for that any longer. _

Because he needed his twin just as much as Vash needed him.

He was all he had left too.

_Owari_

* * *

**  
Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**-kun: **an honorific suffix addressed to someone as a sign of caring.**  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **Guess you didn't have the same opinion as I did about the last chapter, hm. Ah well. Some more Knives torture for you all xP And please, take your time reviewing. Wasting a couple of minutes of your life to tell me whether you like this or not isn't asking too much, is it? 


	32. Different

**Dark: **Forgive me for the lateness O.O On Sunday morning, I didn't sleep more than two hours because of my flight from Paris back home… yesterday, I felt the need to sleep it off and read a little to relax and today I went back to school, so I had very little time xP Please enjoy. This was one of the few that gave me a lot of work.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Fists  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama/Action/Adventure  
**Pairing(s):** None  
**Verse:** Manga (because of a small detail).  
**Warnings:** None, other than a bit of violence? Nothing that we're not used to.  
**Summary: **Despite not being human, their systems still had hormones running rampant.

* * *

ºººººº **Different** ºººººº

Intense, artic blue eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Knives knew there was something wrong with his brother. He just did.

Vash practically shouted that for the whole universe to know. His shoulders were tense, his chin low. His mind had been blocking his too, much to his annoyance.

That was a new thing between them. Their telepathic link was practically always open. They closed it to sleep, so not to bother the other with random dreams, but that was it. They thought almost as one, there were no secrets to be held between them.

Up until now.

Better saying, up until a few nights ago, after Vash had woken up from what looked like a nightmare, drenched in a cold sweat and merely told Knives to fall back asleep.

The older of the two did so, keeping his mind a bit concerned that something disturbing had happened, but trusting that the darker blond would speak to him about it when he thought was the right time.

No such luck.

And now, having the time to contemplate it, quietly and alone while the spiky haired young plant was still sleeping, Knives found his position rather irritating.

It wasn't right. It wasn't meant to be this way. There was practically nothing that Vash didn't know about him. Yet, here he was, keeping secrets from his twin. What was with that?

The beauty mark under said teal eyed youth's left eye twitched, as did the eyelid itself. His blues blinked; the other was waking, good. The small mark, always contrasting with their pale skin, was something both brothers often focused on while in deep thought. In addition, it let them be aware of any changes in the other. Like now.

"Morning, brother."

Tiredly and a bit lazily too, sleep-filled eyes locked on his. "Mornin', Knives. You up already?" Vash lifted one hand to rub one eye rather childishly. "What time is it?"

"Early. But I wasn't very sleepy last night. Everything alright?" a platinum eyebrow carefully lifted. This was the best time to rip some answers from his twin; when he was still half muddled from sleep.

"Fine, I slept fine…" a yawn. "But could we slow down the pace a little today? My feet still ache."

"Sure, Vash." Time was running out. Vash was figuring out he was quite literally scrutinizing him. "But did you really sleep ok? There are bags under your eyes, you know."

Unconsciously, or consciously, fingers went up to feel that. He winced a bit, "It's nothing, really. Don't worry."

"Actually, I think I should." The shorter haired plant got up, a frown gracing his features. "This has gone on for a few days now. You told me to go back asleep back then; I did, I gave you time. Now what? You going to keep on blocking me forever? That's your solution? I thought we had no secrets between us, Vash."

"It was only a nightmare, _brother_." The other sounded a little offended. _Who's he to talk? He caused the Great Fall and told me nothing about it!_

"One that bothered, bothers and will keep bothering you a lot if this keeps up." Icy hues rolled. "Just tell me about it already and drop your barriers, this is getting exasperating."

The response he got was **not** what Knives was expecting. Not at all.

Stumbling and finally losing his balance, kicking up dust everywhere, the platinum blond looked up at his twin wide-eyed, speechless for once.

_Did he… did he actually __**punch**__ me?!_

Yes, he had indeed.

Vash still held his left fist in a now loose fist, the arm forming an arch. His own eyes were now wide and something, an inner light of some sort, swirled in their depths.

That something was anger.

Raw anger.

Now, of course Knives knew that, if a human looked their way, they'd think they were teens, perhaps sixteen or seventeen, even if they were in fact barely seven. And despite their nature, hormones still very much existed in their organism.

Testosterone was one of them, a main one. It induced certain behaviours from the organisms where it was present, such as the growth of facial hair, deepening of a male's voice and development of their genitals. In young human males, it might cause some overconfidence too and there also were some studies that said it was like a sidekick to violence.

But _please_, both he and Vash were above such ridiculous things as independent plants, much more evolved beings, weren't they?

Unfortunately for the killer of millions, his genius mind wasn't quite thinking after the pain in his aching jaw line and cheek fully registered.

Speedily getting back onto his two feet, one of his own fists closed tightly, was pulled back and immediately rammed for his twin's midsection.

Vash had been expecting it though; it did little next to nothing other than being the cause of him giving off a soft, tense "Oof!". Or maybe the effect his twin had added to his own punch didn't work as well as he wanted since the younger of the two swiftly kicked one of Knives's ankles, who, due to his momentum, lost part of his balance.

Both took an unsteady step back, staring the other down and breathing fast.

This had never happened before either. And as a new territory for them, they preferred to analyse it before acting, a habit of theirs and consequence of their developed minds. But yet again, they were _**not**_ acting as they would normally act.

This particular issue would be solved through their fists or so Vash had concluded by making the first move.

As one, they advanced yet again.

Another punch, a groan, another kick, rustling of clothes, one nasty pull, a quiet snap, one slip, a hiss, an upper cut, an almost silent splat on the dusty ground.

It went on, longer than just that and only when the sudden shots of adrenaline started to slow down in their systems did they allow their fast breathing to show and their knees to give in and fall.

Trying to focus his darkened turquoise eyes on his brother through the sticky red liquid steadily falling into one of them from the cut over his right eyebrow, Vash took in the state Knives was in.

Breathing just as hard as he was, one ankle looked sprained, a thin trickle of blood had made way from nearly the centre of his forehead and ran the length of his gently upturned nose, drops of the substance falling, one by one, from the tip and onto the sand. His right hand was held against his chest and his lip was split. Beneath the small mark on the corner of his right eye, a reddish and purple bruise was already there from the first punch.

The younger one scoffed; he wasn't much better for sure. His nose felt like it had been twisted sideways, a cut was somewhere on his forehead, his abdomen hurt every time he took a deeper breath, his right shoulder seemed as if it was higher than his left and one kneecap ached a lot more than the other. Well, he ached all over in a general way. If Knives felt the same, he'd be pleased.

Speaking of which…

Almost indigo coloured eyes swept a look over him, the suspicious air returning to him once again.

: Decided to let me in now? :

Words did not greet him, but he felt that his brother's annoyance had been poked.

: Fine, don't say anything then. : he sent Vash a nasty glare and finally reached up to his hairline to feel for the source of the trail of blood. The young prodigy winced; the dirt in his fingers was only making the small gash worse.

: I won't say I'm sorry to you. :

Knives looked up. The other was now standing, his profile facing him. The visible hand was tightly closed in a trembling fist, as were his eyes.

: It's because of you. It was because of you. And it was also because of you that I had that nightmare, Knives. : his eyes suddenly snapped open; the glare the platinum blond received was the fiercer he had ever gotten from his twin. : I dreamt of her death. :

The older plant stared at him, barely keeping the deep irritation off his expression. : Is **that** what this is all about? Because of that idiotic woman?! I told you before. She wouldn't have died if she hadn't tried to save her kind. It was her own- :

"Do _**not**_ insult my intelligence!" one arm came up to grab a fistful of golden spikes. A snarl had made its way into Vash's normally placid features, his voice now low. Somehow, it was more threatening than if he had shouted instead. "And most of all, don't insult Rem. The main person at fault here is **you** and I'm sure you know that very well."

"And just like you won't apologise, I won't say her idiotic lower species didn't deserve what happened to them, dear brother." unfazed, the shorter-haired young man smiled pleasantly. Taking into account the subject they were arguing about, it was a disquieting sight. "Our views are just different and, at least for now, I guess we can do nothing about it."

"Our views…" teal hues narrowed. "We're also different from humans."

The other blinked. _Are you… __**agreeing**__ with me at some point?_ "Glad to know you've finally noticed that fact."

"But like you once said, we can overcome those minor differences." Vash stood his ground, determination in his look. His resolve looked absolute. "Likewise, we can work on our own differences."

"Not when there's this canyon of different opinions." The older twin sighed in what looked like tiredness.

Lips tightly pressed together, the other did not look like his own belief would change at that, but he grew quiet.

That was all Knives wished.

_You, Vash, will always follow me. In due time, I'm sure you'll give in and agree with me. Until then, I shall be patient with you. Like you said, you're intelligent, almost as much as I am._They would continue on their journey after tending to each other's wounds. And it would be fine.

_It'll be alright. I'll make sure of that. Soon, it will only be us. No spiders, no annoying people trying to study and dissect us, only us and our brethren in the Eden we will create together._

_Owari_

* * *

**  
Vocabulary:****  
Owari: **The end.

**Anonymous Reviews:  
**Nightheartchan: Thank you! n.n That was my point exactly :P

**Dark: **I've wondered, more than once, whether the twins ever ended up in a fist fight, that's the reason for this one. I've no brothers or sisters myself, but from what I know, it happens from time to time, even to twins. Though those tend to normally agree with each other. Do let me know of your opinion, please. Read and review, you know you want to x) Next update will be on Thursday, as per usual.


	33. Oops

**Dark: **I do have a valid excuse for not posting on Thursday as I said I would: I was sick. An in, everything I tried to ingest was simply and quickly refused by my stomach. And because of that, I could do little more than watch tv, since taking two steps made me dizzy, obviously due to the fact that I could not eat. Either way, I'm fine once again, so here's one that I hope will make you smile n.n

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Red  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl, hinted WolfwoodxMillie  
**Verse:** Valid to both.  
**Warnings:** Light nudity? xDD Not really  
**Summary: **Meryl was the only one who could help him! Not his fault she just chose the time when he most needed her to walk out of the shower!!

* * *

ºººººº **Oops** ºººººº

For all his knowledge and the fact that he was "a superior being and therefore very much above any human" (now who would've said that? Hmm), Vash did admit that he had had rather… unintelligent ideas throughout his life.

Such as the time when he had made a circle on the floor with his machine gun and fell right through it. It had been on purpose, true, but it had _still_ been rather stupid of him if he thought about it. Actually, he didn't even need to _**think**_ about it to reach that illation.

Another one had been his absolutely and marvellously well-thought plan of bursting through the girl's room at the inn they were in once.

For the record, the dilemma he was in was **life-threatening**! Something just _had_ to be done!! And past experiences said Meryl was the only one who could solve it.

Reaching the corridor the quartet was on, he saw Millie humming happily to herself while a slightly smirking priest walked right beside her, their arms linked. It took him a moment to gather his breath enough (running like a mad man did that to a person) to ask them about the short woman.

"Oh, sempai should be coming out of her shower right about-" the innocent girl didn't even have the time to finish as a blotch of red and blond passed right by her. "Ara? He's in a hurry, isn't he, Boukushi-san?"

"So it seems, honey. Now, what were you saying about that double caramel pudding with strawberry and vanilla topping?"

The woman laughed pleasantly. "You silly! I just told you it's strawberry and vanilla pudding with double caramel topping!"

Meanwhile, Vash's hurried steps were coming closer and closer to his destined location. With little effort, he opened the surprisingly unlocked door in a flash and slammed it shut again, still breathing hard. It wasn't hard to quickly find his insurance girl. "We've a really, really big problem! There's-"

–no words. Yup. Absolutely and marvellously good timing that he had, no doubt about that.

Meryl had come out of her shower alright. With just a white, fluffy towel around her thin frame which she had been in the process of removing.

In the very, very short and very, very torture-promising instant that followed, Vash could only gulp and wince as a shriek sounded from the now indignant woman. Luckily, he remembered to swiftly turn around.

"Honestly, I always knock when _I_ go into your room!! What the heck were you thinking? Oh, yes, that's right, you **don't** think!" Ack, why didn't the image of her long legs disappear? _For such a short woman, she sure has a nice- Noo, stop thinking like that! You're in enough trouble as it is!_

The towel had been falling off her slender shoulders in a rather innocent way, but the skin that the action showed was anything but, and no matter how Vash tried, his mind was now curious beyond his own control.

"Hehe… Oops? But this is important, I swear!"

Because seeing pictures and the real thing were two _very_ different situations.

"Oops is right, Vash the Stampede!!" there was some rustling, then a muttered cuss and something like "no cloves" sounded. Louder (and somewhat shyly, his mind absently noticed), she spoke again, "Hand me your coat."

Once again, he found himself gulping and his voice rising one or two octaves. "My-My coat?" Oh, no. What he heard as "cloves" was "clothes", wasn't it?

"Yes, your red coat, the jacket you're using now, the duster you use every time, give it to me!"

"Where're your clothes anyway?!"

"They're at the corner of the room you're facing!! Just shut up and do as I say!"

"I won't peek if you go get them!"

"How would I know!? I don't want to risk it!" something hit the back of his head not so gently and he almost lost his balance. As the outlaw reluctantly took off the duster, his eyes saw that it had been a pillow. _Did she put one of her Derringers in it? Gah, it was heavy…_

The next few instants were filled with the quiet sounds of buckles being moved this way and that. "So, what was so god darn important that you didn't _**bolt out of the room **_as soon as you saw the state I was in, you broom-headed idiot?" the part she emphasized was obviously what she thought he should've done in the first place. "You can turn around now."

"Well, you see, we're-" as soon as his hues caught her frame swimming in the folds of his trench coat, _his_ red coat, the jacket _he_ was using, the duster _he_ used every time, thoughts mysteriously decided to disappear from his head.

While it gave him a commanding look, something that caused most people to steer away and that may, to some, input fear and/or scream "outlaw" in every sense of the word actually made her look vulnerable. The fact that it was around ten sizes too big was probably the reason though…

She was sideways, her right side facing him. The endings of the red material trailed over a feel on the floor, the sleeve he could see allowed him to catch a sight of one or two digits, but only because she was gripping part of the front with a death grip, which was probably still unbuttoned. He could also see a glimpse of her shins in between the folds. It was a wonder how the collar seemed to steadily fall half way over her collar bone, giving him the glimpse of a creamy white shoulder.

"Yes? We're what, Vash-san?"

"Uh… We're… out of… doughnuts?" the small laugh that ensued was even higher than his previous tone. But Meryl was the one who kept their money! He **had** to speak with her as soon as possible!

Unfortunately, instead of receiving money to buy doughnuts, he got an earful of "things he _**must**_ do before entering any ladies' room". Yup, that had been one of his dumbest ideas up till now.

_But damn, red __**does**__ look good on her!_

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Ara:** usually used by woman, means "Huh".  
**Boukushi:** rough translation for "Priest".  
**-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Owari:** The end.

**Anonymous Reviews:****  
**Nightheart: Thank you very much! n.n It was a little hard to write it, but I do believe it came out rather well :D

**Dark:** And this fic is over 7500 hits, wow! Hope I've amused you enough to forgive these two days of delay x) Review, please?


	34. Fair Play

**Dark: **How nice it is to be able to eat properly 8D and having 5 reviews to boot! Sankyu all!! n.n

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Glare  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Humour/General  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Never, ever, **ever**, mess up one of Knives' chess games. Really, just don't.

ºººººº **Fair Play** ºººººº

Turquoise eyes dashed back and forth, back and forth, searching for a way to escape, some way that had to be there right in front of his nose, in between the cold black and white squares.

But darn, it was just _soo_ hard to have Knives as his opponent!

Said plant sighed in boredom and changed position, letting his chin fall onto his right palm instead of his left. "Are you going to make your move today, Vash?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, hang on…"

"Knives?" Both glanced up at the new voice. Rowan's. The young man smiled at them, before continuing. "Joey wants to talk to you. Said it was about the question you asked him a few days ago."

A glint shone in blue depths. "We'll resume the game once I'm back," The platinum blond got up and stretched both arms over his head. "ne, Vash?"

"Hu huh, sure thing." His twin seemed to barely have heard, his attention still on the chess board and a little frown of concentration settling above the bridge of his nose.

Smirking a little in satisfaction at having cornered the younger child like that, he walked towards the exit of the room, heading to Joey's office.

Allowing a few more minutes to pass, Vash then looked up and around the room almost suspiciously.

_No one here._

This idea had come to him as soon as the opportunity of not having his twin here for a few moments rose.

It wasn't like him to lie or deceive, but it **was** true that he had lost to the other plant almost twenty times in a row now.

It was truly becoming rather frustrating.

_And it'll be just this time!_

'sides, it wouldn't take much to at least give him a slight chance of winning. His hand reached out and picked up his remaining tower. He moved it a few squares forward, just enough to escape both of Knives' knights that had been in his way before. _That's better!_ Finally, to make it look as if there was nothing unusual, Vash moved one of his pawns towards Knives' King. When he'd next play, the pawn would be what he'd take and Vash would be free to move his tower!A few more minutes and Knives returned, looking very pleased with himself. "Heh, see? I _told_ you lithium was a weaker oxidant agent than caesium, but that nickel was the strongest out of the three."

"Honto? Joey did the experience then?" his twin replied innocently, fighting down the grin that wanted to break free just as Knives casually took his pawn with his own King. Just as he planned.

"Yup. You could really see the-" he then paused. _Was Vash's tower there? Really? I let him reach this close? _He glanced at his twin. Nothing seemed out of place… but he could see the corner of his mouth twitching and a knowing glow in his eyes. Then, his glance turned into a full death glare. _No. I would've taken him out with my knights long before he could be even two squares away from my Queen. I __**know**__ I would._

So, there was only one explanation.

_He messed up the game!!_

"Vash!"

Said boy's smugness vanished as soon as that single word was out of the other's lips. _He found out?!_

: Yes, I did find out you moved your tower, you moron!! :

"Eep!!" That was it, the younger brother would _never_ be as good as Knives when it came to mind reading without being noticed.

But at least, he was faster when it came to bolting out of the room.

"Come back here! I was going to win that game and you know it!!"

What else was new?

_Owari_

**  
Vocabulary:****  
****Ne: **Similar to "isn't it".  
**Honto:** Really.  
**Owari: **The end.

* * *

**Anonymous Reviews:****  
**Nightheart: Really? Wow :P Glad you enjoyed it that much! n.n

**Dark: **Do excuse me for the technical speech on oxidation back then; this was written a couple of months back while randomly remembering red-ox reactions for Chemistry which I studied last year x) oh, and it's not made up, all of it is true, by the way xP


	35. Similar

**Dark: **You're lucky I could take a break from my Maths studying to post this x)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Death  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Angst/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** (Post-) Anime.  
**Warnings:** Light spoilers for the end of the series.  
**Summary: **Every year was the same. This day was always spent this way.

* * *

ºººººº **Similar** ºººººº

"Millie? Could you-"

"Oh! Sure, sempai!" the younger woman promptly smiled, making an attempt at saluting. "I'll take care of Knives-san's bandages today, don't worry about it." Meryl's tone was well known to her, albeit rarely used. Low, quiet and often teary-sounding. She has known about it for about three years now. And memorized said tone by heart due to the shock too.

Every year was the same. This day was always spent this way.

The other agent managed a very small, wan smile and a whispered "I'll be at the porch if you need me," before leaving the room.

Said porch, at the back of the house, was not seen by the rest of the little town. Solitude was almost certain there, for which Meryl was thankful for. It was also there that Nicholas D. Wolfwood's grave was.

The young woman only wished for the company of souls right now, at this day. In other words, it was perfect.

With a small incense stick (it was chocolate-scented; Millie's request and possession) in between her clasped hands, she kneeled before the stone slab and closed her eyes.

_I do know we were never… close. Like you were with Millie-chan. Nor did I ever want to take that away from you two._

Her next breath was shaky.

_I also know we could never have been friends like you and Vash once were; after all, you are two of a kind. But I also thank you for what you gave him: a shoulder to lean on like I could never do._

A tear slipped from beneath a tightly closed eyelid, staining her right cheek. Her left one soon had a twin streak.

_But, if you can really hear me, I beg you, Wolfwood-san… Do me just this one favour, for I cannot. Check if he's alright for me, tell him I'm ok. Onegai._

Her hues were reopened, the movement causing a few more rebelling tears to fall. Her nose was probably red too by now.

_Rest in peace, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. We shall never forget you._

Meryl got up. As she did, the softest breeze seemed to play a little with the wide, knee-length skirt she chose to wear as she moved her position to a stiff chair they owned.

Personally, she preferred the one in front of the house. It creaked a little, but the rocking chair was very comfy. The last thing this one was, was cosy, but, in this particular day of the year, she wanted to be all but comfortable.

After pulling her knees up to her chest and resting one cheek over them, Derringer Meryl took a look around.

_No one here.  
_  
So, she deemed it safe to let her defences drop then.

Thoughts and memories usually repressed came back.

_No…_

_"Please, don't… Don't leave me like this! Don't you dare!"_

_"Things don't always go our way, you know that. And really… I'm… really.. sorry."_

_A pained moan, then a sob. "Don't do this to me… to us…"_

_"I-" Gasp, then a hollow nothingness._

_**There**. Right there. It was at that time and place that I first broke down._

Her lips trembled, her eyes filled with as much tears as they could hold before letting them all fall. Her shoulders soon shook with every soft, but strong sob.

Every year was the same. This day was always spent this way, no more, no less.

"Oi, big girl!" Vash greeted while running a dampening towel over his mostly dry hair. Bright teal eyes blinked as he caught sight of the bloody gauze resting on a small tray in her hands. "Wasn't this week short girl's turn to do that?"

"Hai." She smiled nevertheless, but somehow, it didn't look as carefree as it usually did. "But today's not a good day for sempai. She asked me to either way. And I don't mind!"

The plant tilted his head to the side curiously. "Why did she ask you to replace her?" What could be wrong with today? Had Knives insulted her a bit most nastily than usual yesterday? Absently, he frowned. Still, the insurance girl didn't back down from a challenge. Ever. So…?

"It's not my place to say, Vash-san." Now, her smile really did look sad. "Gomen na. You'll have to ask her yourself. She's out on the porch."

He frowned a little as she climbed back down the stairs. But a few things were first. Only after checking how his twin was for the time being ("How do you _think_ I am, you fool? You ask that as if you don't know that the last place I'd rather be is **here**!") did he follow her lead and changed directions to the back of the house.

A very unusual sight greeted him. And by "unusual", he meant a "breaking down Meryl Stryfe". He actually hesitated before passing through the little threshold, not sure if he should interrupt and walk in on her during this bout of unknown behaviour of hers. Even his tone was softer and diffident.

"Insurance Girl?"

He might as well have done something rasher like aiming at a random, far away spot and shoot from his long colt to catch her attention… Wait, no, he couldn't. His gun wasn't in his possession any longer.

But he meant the figurative meaning of the action either way, because she acted as if she had been scared to death. In an almost too quick move for even his eyes to follow, one of her arms came up to swipe at the rebel tears still trailing down her ashen-looking cheeks and he could almost swear her head would pop right out of her shoulders due to the speed she put in the movement of turning it towards him.

Her voice didn't rise above a whisper. It was shaky and a little hoarse. "What is it?"

He dared to take a few careful, cautious steps in her direction. She truly looked like hell; eyes reddish and puffy, tear streaks all over her pale cheeks, shoulders shaking and tone insecure. Nothing like her at all, but why? What was the cause of her distress to make her so… so un-Meryl-ish? "Is there… something wrong?"

_Nothing you can solve, baka…_ The young woman blinked forcefully; the salt of her previous tears seemed to bring about even more tears. Her head shook in a negative way since she didn't trust her voice. _Can't you leave me be? You want to be alone too sometimes, don't you?_ But she couldn't bring herself to speak.

If she did, Meryl was very much afraid that she'd break down again. And worse, if he spoke too, it was probable that she'd spill it out to him. After all, the same had happened with Millie.

Vash, contrary to what she was always complaining about, wasn't an insensitive goofball though. He did feel her need to be alone, like a hostile aura pushing not so gently against his own, more perceptive plant one. Somewhere, there was also a hint of fear, but why, he could not comprehend.

Perhaps if this was another person other than Meryl, one that he did not know as well, one from which he could suspect a few reasons for the sadness (such as Millie) or a less complex character, he'd comply to their subconscious request.

But this **was** Meryl. And something was very much bothering her.

That was why he ignored her silent involuntary warning, plus the shake of her head. He sat down, one or two feel away from her chair. "Don't just give me that. I'm familiar to crying. You know that. And I always have a reason to rely on it. What's yours?"

Her front teeth caught her lower lip. They bit down on it, hard. A metallic, coppery taste soon greeted her mouth. "I don't really want to talk about it, Vash. Personal reasons."

The gunman caught a faint whiff of the unsettling presence of blood, but said nothing about it. His next sentence was so soft she was surprised it wasn't blown away by the wind. "I'll wait for you to tell me then. After all, it's all I can do after you did the same to me. Sometimes, even at the risk of losing your life."

Listless grey eyes found his casual form beside her, now wide open. He wasn't looking at her, but at the horizon, one leg propped up and right arm draped over the knee. His prosthetic one was supporting his lanky frame. A few locks of his hair, darker than others – _Damp_, she absently noted -, were in the exact opposite way of a few less thick and less longer ones, which were spiked up in their usual fashion. It didn't go unnoticed the way a few sunrays almost made his aqua green eyes glow with a light of their own either.

And she thought about it.

He was right. No matter what had happened, even after he had told her and Millie to, and she quoted, "stay back", they did not. Neither girl knew why, what his reasons were, how truly dangerous it could be, but they kept following him. Only in the end, before the most important battle of his life, and after her pressing, did he tell her about his past, about Knives, about the Great Fall, about Rem Saverem.

It took the Humanoid Typhoon a long time to do it, to trust her enough to tell her that.

But she had waited.

And now could frankly admit that it had been worth it.

Meryl finally realized he must be feeling the same way about her now.

_Will he truly wait?_ And more importantly, _Will he believe that the wait was worth it, like I do?_

Part of her – a rather big part of her – hoped he would. Barely noticing so, another tear escaped her, but of a different nature than all the others. Her eyes softened as she also looked in the same direction he was looking.

One day. One day, perhaps not far from today, she'd tell him about the death of her father.

And maybe, somehow, he would think they were closer due to that, would think they were, in a way, more similar than what he thought at the moment.

Because, if it was asked of him, Vash would say Rem was the most important person in his early years of life with no hesitation whatsoever.

And Meryl, if it was asked of her, would say her father was the most important person in her early years of life with no hesitation whatsoever either.

They had that in common, that similarity.

If nothing else, they had that.

_Owari_

* * *

**  
Vocabulary:****  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**-chan:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is usually younger or equal to in age or for close friends.  
**Onegai:** Please.  
**Hai:** Yes.  
**Gomen na:** Casual, familiar "sorry".  
**Baka:** Idiot.  
**Owari: **The end.

* * *

**Anonymous Reviews:****  
**tami: Thank you n.n

**Dark: **This was a more subjective one; I left many things out in the open on purpose. I've an idea of what happened "behind the scenes" here of course (haha, I'm the almighty authoress after all! xDD), but I shall also leave part of it for you to figure out on your own x)Next week, I shall not update, so sorry. Gotta kill myself studying -.-


	36. An Ability

**Dark: **MWUAHAHA! Fear me, I'm back! 8D And I'm happy (yeesh, now that's a bad combination xDD) since my maths test went so well, so here you go n.n Enjoy and don't forget to keep on reviewing!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

**Key-word:** Persuade  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour/General/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl.  
**Verse:** Valid to both.  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary: **That wasn't all his kin could do, not even close.

* * *

ºººººº **An Ability** ºººººº

It was known, to those who knew of his true nature, that Vash disliked using his so-called abilities, the same ones Knives made a point to perfect and control.

One of the main reasons was the very real threat of his Angel Arm being triggered. It had happened in July and later in Augusta.

It was truly a horrible feeling, to use the gun given by his brother if the need called for it, yet being deathly afraid of something more serious happening with it and that tendons, muscles and bones merged together with silver metal, twisted and morphed into that feared weapon.

But one needn't go that far.

That wasn't all his kin could do, not even close.

The "beings outside of time" were said to alter matter itself; it was through complex processes that the plants managed to produce water, electricity, food and other necessities. Of course that the technology in Gunsmoke was still rudimentary and there were no conclusive and resolute studies that could in fact prove this theory. For now, it would stay just that: a theory.

Vash never truly felt the need to discover that for himself. **He** could not fathom how to do that (heck, he'd do it if he did, of course! A stash of doughnuts that would last his lifetime?! That would be paradise…), but it wasn't such a heavy curiosity that he'd want to ask his sisters about it.

And there was another one. Among a few particular other abilities, plants were able to communicate. Not all in the same fashion, though. Their favourite way to do just that was through telepathy.

True, it took some concentration, but it didn't need a lot of energy on their part. They were able to withstand a connection even if they were separated by hundreds of iles… but it wasn't limitless, no. Some extended it further than others; it all depended of each and every one of them.

But their telepathy had a particularity: it was not through words, but through images, feelings, all kinds of sensations. That was why they chose not to communicate with the humans; not because they could not or couldn't understand them and their languages, but because **they**, the humans, wouldn't be able to comprehend.

As for independent plants, that was slightly different.

They learned to talk, something their sisters did not. And that led to sharing thoughts through a telepathic bond.

Vash was able to do that. Not as expertly as his twin or as carefully, but he could and he did, some times. It proved to be a good alarm of sorts. Even if the ones he was connecting with noted his presence, sometimes when he did not want them to.

It wasn't something truly palpable, but Knives had often said, back when they were still wandering together, that it was like a brush of their conscience over their target's. Some could feel the "touch" and identify the responsible, some couldn't.

And humans could almost communicate through telepathy as well, but the keyword of that was the "almost". Their minds were not developed enough to be able to do it.

And it also wasn't something that would put him aware of all their thoughts and such either, nothing like that. To put it simply, it would just let him know about sudden strong emotions, such as fear, anger, nervousness, among others. In other words, it would warn him whenever he was needed.

Three of Vash's "targets" are Wolfwood, Meryl and Millie, for example.

Every other time, he'd forget to fully hide his presence and that would earn him a weird stare from the priest or a startle from Meryl.

But the one that he could very well admit (to himself) that most intrigued him was the latter of those two from every single time he had used this specific skill.

The gunman rarely fully entered their minds to the point of having access to things only they knew about and their own personal thoughts, but there were some times when he did it, his curiosity to know more about the people he cared for getting the best of him. And not only with the trio he travelled with, but in past years too, with other people.

Mind you, it always left a heavy feeling of guilt, because he was witnessing something private, something he should not know about; each individual should have their privacy after all.

But with Meryl, unfortunately (fortunately?), he couldn't help it sometimes. There were a few moments when he found himself doing so almost out of reflex.

And he didn't have the right to, he knew. Especially when she had no idea of this.

On a few occasions, he'd catch snippets of her thoughts, random ones, barely complete and only half formed. Others, she'd be discussing with herself. Or imagining, reminiscing, even dreaming. Her mind seemed to call out to him and persuade him to look around.

But the biggest persuasion was perhaps the time when he had interrupted, almost unknowingly, one of her discussions.

_…honestly! That good-for-nothing, aho- _Break of thought. _ARRGH! _A tiny pang of an uncomfortable ache of some sorts was felt on his right palm. She probably slapped something hard. _I feel like breaking the typewriter… _Ah, so that was it. _That way, I'd have an excuse not to do __**more**__ reports about destroyed and/or exploded banks _(Back in his room, Vash winced; that had been that day's incident. Not his fault! Really!!)_ and the company could send me some- _Another break. _That doesn't even sound like me, trying to get a way to receive more money by deceit…_ An amused laugh sounded.

The outlaw smirked and sent a thought of his own, : You got that right. : His eyes snapped open and his right hand covered his mouth out of instinct, even if he had said that mentally and not aloud. _Shimatta, what did I do?!_

The startle was immediate, even if he had pulled away from her mind a little. It was followed by confusion. _Wha? Who…?_

_I'm soo dead._ He couldn't erase her thoughts or anything like it, so what to do, what to do to cover it up and fast?!

Well, she did fight with herself sometimes, but… Nah, it couldn't work. Could it? Sighing, Vash adopted the best poker-sounding tone of (mental) voice and gave it a shot.

: Duh. I'm you, who else? :

That was followed, again, by confusion, but heavier. Of course that she fought with herself, but the "voice at the back of her head" was not like a whole new identity!

_Oh. Well, yeah, I guess. It came out of the blue, didn't it?_

Pause. Rewind.

_What?!_ One golden eyebrow rose as high as it could go. _She bought that? _Either that or she was playing along… _Well, doesn't matter. Two can play at that game if she __**is**__ joking._ : Yup. And Bernardelli would even believe it if you said the typewriter was destroyed by the Humanoid Typhoon, ne? Knowing that you're all business and stuff. :

He could almost hear her huff. _Not quite, you know that._

: Guess I do. : Play along, play along and break it now… but there was still something nagging at the back of his own mind. : Is that all you think of him? That he's just a walking disaster? :

There was silence at first. It was late, very late. Could she have fallen asleep? _Well.. no. _No, she hadn't. _You know that too. Of every man I've known, he's the one who has shown me more humanity and he's not even human. Ironic, isn't it?_

At that, Vash didn't answer. He found that he couldn't out of shock. That hadn't been expected. But she continued nevertheless.

_He's kind and gentle. And in all the disasters that happen, he only has an indirect intervention on them most of the times. It's not really his fault. And speaking of faults… _Was it him, or did he feel her smiling? _He doesn't have many._

His next sentence came out in a rush and without thinking. : What about the scars? :

_Scars?_ A small wave of confusion tickled his senses, _Mou, sounds like you don't even know me. Did I ever care about those?_

With that said, he hadn't even needed to pull away. She had rendered him speechless just like that.

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
****Vocabulary:  
Aho:** Stupid.  
**Shimatta:** Shit.  
**Ne:** Similar to "isn't it".  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **This is the first part of a two-shot piece (does that sound familiar to you, Jaythorne? ;) Hm) hope it spiked your humour and interest, hehe x) "A review a day keeps bad thoughts away", that's my main writer's motto! X3 and "bad thoughts" here stands for me "forgetting to update next week" or throwing cliff hangers at will x) so, please review :DD


	37. Another Ability

**Dark: **Oh, oh, oh, may I ask for 400 more hits? Please? I'll hit 10000 hits that way!! :D Hehe, anyways, enjoy!! Second part n.n I know it's much shorter, but it's right to the point X3 And I thought it was sweet! xP

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Perfect  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Uhh, implied intimate relationship, I guess... hehe. Plus one sentence regarding the end of the series.  
**Summary: **That wasn't all his kin could do, not even close. Meryl now knew.

* * *

ºººººº **Another Ability** ºººººº

It had happened at dawn.

Meryl had actually thought he was doing it on purpose, as Vash now often did, from the moment he had let her know he was able to use telepathy, feel what she felt and even see what she saw, depending on the level of depth he allowed himself to resonate with her own being, as he had explained to her two weeks after they admitted their feelings for each other and one month after he returned to her with Knives over one shoulder.

But the fact was that the outlaw, golden strands of silk obscuring his eyelids from the direct light of the sunrays, looked very much asleep and that she could feel a familiar presence in her mind, pressing gently with an almost ticklish feeling. And knowing what the sensation was, Meryl wondered, but wasn't worried. She trusted him after all.

It was then that a few images made their way into her own mind's eye. And not random ones either, but images of herself.

She found herself blushing deeply when she recognized a clear one of the first night they had first made love. Her point of view was the exact opposite, true, since she was seeing her own body from the blond man's eyes, but she recognized the room (his, it had been his; from then on, Vash had made a point of sleeping in her bed), the way one of his hands happened to shake once in a while (it had been the only time, because from then on, the insatiable plant had been all but insecure), the way she had, hesitantly at first, traced his scars (which, by the way, she happened to be feeling the tingling sensation of on her skin, as if he was the one doing it now; which he wasn't).

But what shocked her was the very way he **watched** her. Her dream-like self that she was seeing was in her own little world, not knowing she was being scrutinized, but now, the present Meryl could witness it.

It was… odd.

Her hair looked tidier, shinier, much nicer from the way he saw it. Her eyes also seemed to glow with a light of their own and, now that she thought about it, their colour truly _was_ mesmerizing… not grey, not violet, not indigo; more like a mixture of all of those to create a whole new, unique tinge. And her skin looked… like silk. Of a milky white texture, it looked so soft to the touch that the fleeting thought of _Will it disappear or be forever damaged if I touch it?_ crossed her mind, though she did believe that that belonged to Vash.

She looked…

Meryl blinked. Once. Twice, thrice.

She looked… perfect.

Was it because Vash's sight was sharper than hers? Well, it was, she knew that, but… no, that wasn't it.

Was it because he was a plant? Highly unlikely and unfounded.

So, only one option remained.

Carefully, Meryl changed position slightly on the bed, so that Vash's left cheek rested a little bit more to her right on her shoulder to allow her to peek at his expression, her hues wide and partially awed at her discovery.

_Vash… Is this… is this the way you see me? Not any of my flaws, but only my qualities? And you even somehow high light them?_

Whether he had caught her marvelled thought, his biological clock rang or any other reason, the Humanoid Typhoon chose that time to open his own inimitable eyes slowly, sleepily, look up at her and smile a lazy smile.

"Ohayo." His tone lower than usual, huskier, let her know he had really just woken up.

Meryl found herself fighting back a few idiotic tears of happiness. _Such a dobe… As if you're the only one with imperfections._ She greeted him not with words, but by capturing his lips in hers in a long, languid kiss.

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Ohayo:** Good morning.  
**Dobe:** Variation for "idiot".  
**Owari:** The end.  
**Anou:** Umm.

**Anonymous Reviews:****  
**Nightheart: Aww, thank you very much!! X3 So sweet of ya :P Hope you liked this one too.

**Dark: **WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Ok, I'm free of tests for about… uh… TWO WEEKS!! WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! This coming from someone who shall be doing two VERY important exams in about a month or so 8DD I _so_ rule xDDD Anou… So yeah, I couldn't help myself about that last romantic titbit X3 And this can be considered as my excuse for Meryl to have access to Vash's mind. Perhaps I should explore this field a bit more, what do you say?


	38. Irony

**Dark: **Today, I woke up at an ungodly hour (for a weekend, that is. 8.10am is _very_ early if one's talking about a bloody Sunday) to study and a thought came to mind: "Did I, or didn't I, say I wouldn't update this past Thursday on the last posted piece?" Even that early, I realized I didn't. So sorry o.O Oh, and thank you very much for the 10000 hits! n.n

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Hypocrite  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Drama.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Some spoilers from the twins' past, some mentioned violence.  
**Summary: **It was actually curious if one thought about it. Knives could, in the very least, admit that to himself. In the end… in the end, wasn't it the same?

* * *

ºººººº **Irony** ºººººº

_The spider's assumption… is correct._

Knives could, in the very least, admit that to himself.

But truly, in over one hundred years, such thoughts had never crossed his mind.

And all because of a single word.

Tch.

Still, because of that little spider, he allowed himself to remember and reflect. On the days long past that shall never come back (much to his relief and Vash's misery), days spent either running amongst bright synthetic grass and carefree or huddled close to his counterpart, whimpering and crying in each other's arms.

The days back in the SEEDs flagship. More specifically, the one single man that had opened his own blind-folded eyes.

Steve.

The human filth who had acted purely out of confusion and lack of understanding and dealt with that frustration and dilemma by taking it out on him and his twin mercilessly.

The bastard who never once paused to listen to two frightened children who did not comprehend either why he did it or what they did wrong to deserve such treatment and hatred from him.

The spider that had always preferred that he and Vash had been experimented on, then gotten rid of before they could even learn how to talk or walk.

The fucked up being that acted out of raw fear. Yes, Knives understood that.

Steve was the kind of person who much preferred to deal with something unknown and inexplicable by simply destroying it.

And seemingly, out of the wide and innocent light eyes of two newborn humanoid plants, the bloody man saw the Apocalypse coming for his kind.

And what better way to take care of it than cutting off the threat by its roots?

Those were his main arguments, the platinum haired plant concluded.

If he thought the end was near and the source were the two male plant twins, then the best thing to do was kill them.

Simple as that, huh?

_"Hypocrite. That's what you are."  
_  
Those words echoed once again in his mind. And then, he turned to himself, his own plots and his own motives.

Knives knew the uncontrolled and disregarded use of his plant sisters would lead to their untimely death.

He knew that, if the humans even suspected Vash the Stampede was a plant himself, the wanted poster would no longer be asked "Dead or Alive", just "Dead".

He was also aware that, if not that, then Vash (and he himself, if found) would be used just like their sisters.

Therefore, in order to save his brethren of such an unjust fate, Knives turned against these unrewarding and neglecting things that entitled themselves as "humans" and ultimately decided that the best course of action for his kin to survive would be eradication.

Simple as that.

_Her dark eyes shone with something he did not dare name. "And that attitude has a name. Hypocrite. That's what you are."_  
_  
_Simple as that, huh?

It was actually curious if one thought about it.

Wasn't that… acting out of raw fear as well? For the first time in a rather long while, Knives felt speechless as he stared up at the blank ceiling above him in the silent and lonely room.

Steve believed he and Vash would bring destruction to Humanity. His solution: get rid of them.

Knives had more than enough proof to theorize that plants would gradually continue dying at an alarming rhythm if the current situation was not controlled (which would not be), therefore, he alone decided that the best plan was to make the human race disappear.

In the end… in the end, wasn't it the same?

So, attacker and victim had the same views? The same objective, the very same goal?

How ironic can you get?

All of this because of a small exchange between him and his brother's little pet spider.

_"Have you truly seen him? His body? His disfigured figure? And you know why, spider? Because you humans treated him so. He's the way he is now only because of you!"_

_Meryl stared him right in the eye, levelled. Unafraid. It irked him more than anything. "Bastard. You were the first one. You were the one who first scarred him."_

_Icy hues widened a fraction and focused on the lowly being in front of him, unrestrained rage forbidding him to even speak. He then dared to speak very slowly and in the quietest of tones. "What did you say?"_

_She looked as confident as ever. She even repeated herself. "You were the one who first scarred him. You were the one who caused Rem's death. And you know perfectly well that she is above anyone else in Vash's heart and opinion, even you, me or any other person. And you took her away from him. You can't even hope for that scar in particular to heal. Ever." Her dark eyes shone with something he did not dare name. "And that attitude has a name. Hypocrite. That's what you are."_

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
****Vocabulary:  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **I always wondered how Knives would react if Meryl beat him at a verbal fight x) well, that, and the analogy between him and Steve. Truly, it's curious if you think about it xDD I'm not sure if I'll be able to update next week, though I'll try.


	39. Obdormition

(Last chapter: "blood" was meant to be "bloody" on the a/n:. xDD)

**Dark: **I'm back! 8D And rid of tests!! Not of exams though xDD Ah well. Thank you very much for all the reviews, fellow readers n.n (but I do hope for more, if I may :D). Since I'm pretty happy right now, here's another try of mine at humour! xDD Enjoy!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Oops  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour(/Horror to some xDD).  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** (Post-)Anime.  
**Warnings:** Some… uh, domestic violence? (xDD)  
**Summary: **Millie's worst nightmare returns.

* * *

ºººººº **Obdormition** ºººººº

Baby blues opened tiredly. Their owner yawned and stretched.

_Owwie… maybe I really shouldn't have taken a nap on the couch. But gosh, it makes me remember my couch back on the farm and it's sooo comfy-_

Millie then froze while moving her leg, teeth gritting. Darn, that really, really hurt!! Again, she attempted to move and- "Itai…" One more time, come on! _Yeeack!!_ "SEMPAI!!"

Said short woman took her time coming into the room, a small piece of a dark chocolate bar hanging from the corner of her mouth. With what looked like practised ease, she spoke around the sweet. "Yes, Millie?"

"It huuurts!!"

Meryl lifted an eyebrow at the sight; the larger, younger woman sprawled on the couch, half sitting, half lying down and whining. Now that was an unusual sight. "Where? What hurts? How did you hurt yourself?"

"I didn't! But my leg is asleep!!"

A black eyebrow twitched in annoyance. _How could I forget? _Her assistant could take almost anything, but a sleeping limb always got to her. Well, Millie Thompson was that kind of girl that rarely paused for anything, so it was rare that an arm or leg would be in the same position for a long time, enough to make it go numb, but it happened sporadically.

Whenever it did, Millie always got impatient. Because she knew she couldn't move.

"Millie, it'll go away pretty soon, don't you worry, ok? Just sit tight right there for a couple of minutes. I'll be outside writing our report if you need me." With a roll of her eyes, her sempai walked (COLDLY, NONCHALANTLY, DISPASSIONATELY!!) away.

Tears came to her innocent eyes. _But I need to go to the bathroom! __Now__!!_

As gently and slowly as she could, the big girl got up, right foot up in the air, the one that was being the bane of her existence at that exact point. Carefully, she hopped in the direction of the bathroom, always landing with a wince/twitch/tick/grimace/among-other-things until she could reach the closest wall. With that to help her balance, she continued her trek. _And it's upstairs!_

Just then, Luck seemed to show her face at her in the shape of a red and bright blonde blur.

"Vash-san!"

Said outlaw poked his head out of the kitchen, a jelly doughnut hanging from his lips and a question in his eyes. After taking her in, leaning against the wall, right foot precariously held up and a sheepish grin on her lips, one eyebrow rose.

She laughed sheepishly, "Hehe, my foot is asleep… and I really, really need to get to the bathroom and sempai's occupied and I need to climb the stairs, so-"

"No worries, big girl!" the man walked closer to her, goofy grin in place. As he approached, he took another bite from the sweet. "I'll help ya climb."

With the plant's arm half supporting her, the stairs weren't as hard to climb, not really. After one or two laughs around the middle and half a dozen times stumbling, they were upstairs.

"Sankyu, Vash-san!" she patted his shoulder to emphasis her point, "I couldn't have done it without yo-ahhhhhhhh!" she made the mistake of placing down her right foot, immediately reviving the precarious situation she was in. Her arms flailed about, knocking down a vase nearby, before she caught a hold of something secure enough.

Feeling her lose her balance, the gunslinger held her with both hands, successful that neither of them toppled over since she had caught his coat. Then something clicked.

And he looked down.

"Oops!"

_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOO**_!! His eyes widened as much as they could as they took in the horror that was not even two feel away from him.

The jelly doughnut.

On the floor.

The vase.

Smashed into so many little pieces all over the floor.

The vase, **on top of said doughnut**!! That had been crushed without mercy!! Ooh, the evilness of this world!!

Vash felt like weeping. Both for the doughnut and himself, since he knew Meryl would blame it on him.

"VASH THE STAMPEDE! What have you done this time!?" Yup, there it was.

"But it wasn't me, insurance girl!! Honest!"

"Yeah, right!"

Millie, being the good, helpful girl that she was, could've indeed confirmed that it was truly her fault, but unfortunately for the red-clad young-looking man, she was already hopping down the hallway, the bathroom the only thing on her mind.

_Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom… almost there, bathroom!!_

But this time, Luck closed her door on her face.

Or to be more exact, the door she had been supporting herself against suddenly opened and she lost her balance (again), falling into the room.

"YAAH- Oof! OWWW!!" she hadn't landed on her right side, but still, the sudden movement made her right leg shoot prickles of pain all over her nerves. Once again. Darn it and she had been so close too!

Then a quiet groan made her blink and she finally noticed that she hadn't landed particularly on hard ground. Well, it was hard still, but it was also a little soft. And warm.

"Get _**off**_ me right now, you filthy human!!"

Oh, that was Knives-san's voice.

Blinking once more, her baby blue eyes locked momentarily with another pair, icy and of a slightly darker shade. She ignored the way they narrowed into slits and the stiffness of the anti-social twin's muscles and grinned sheepishly. "Gomen na!" she was quick to move away and sit down beside him. In return, Knives was just as quick to stand up and put some distance between them, restoring not only his, but her personal space too. "My right leg is asleep, you see!"

"Aslee- Obdormition, you mean?" the platinum blonde sneered, "That's the reason why you were moaning and whining before?! Stupid spider…" the last part was muttered partially under his breath, still loud enough for her to hear, but she either didn't or didn't mind.

"Ob- uhh, what?" confusion went into her clear eyes as she looked over at him curiously.

Ah, right. He was constantly forgetting that any word bigger than six letters was too much for this particular human. Rolling his eyes, he snapped a quick "Never mind." and renewed his glare. "So, when will you _leave_ this room?" Yes, because it was his and he didn't particularly want it infested any more than it already was.

"My leg's still asleep, Knives-san…" she frowned a little, something she rarely did. This was really bothering her. "And I really, really need to go to the bathroom… Would you mind helping me get up?"

"_**Nani**_!?" his left eye twitched. Him, Millions Knives, touch that… that… that spider?! The heck was she thinking? But she seemed really frustrated there and she _was_ sprawled on the entrance, so he couldn't get out of the room if _she_ didn't move. _How annoying…_ "Tch! Fine!"

Doing his best to avoid any unnecessary contact, his feet were placed quite a little away from her and he stretched one arm out to her. She caught a good hold of it and stood up.

Thing was, he wasn't expecting her to have such a strong grip (he tended to forget that too) and he stumbled forward in return. The fact that he had a bigger distance from her than necessary only gave him momentum and it was by pure chance that his left hand landed heavily on the wall just beside the doorframe or that place could've been decorated with his forehead instead. The growl that built up deep within his throat was swallowed up by the pleased sigh the female human gave off.

"Arigatou, Knives-san!"

Happily, Millie _finally_ reached her destination: the bathroom. Opening it, she carefully stepped inside. _Done! Victory for me, weee!!_

The destruction she left behind her wake never once crossed Millie's mind, bless her innocent soul.

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Itai: **Ouch  
**-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Sankyu:** Familiar "thanks".  
**Gomen na:** Casual "Sorry".  
**Nani:** What.  
**Arigatou:** Thank you.  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **I've always thought of Milly as being as dangerous as she is innocent xDD Really, because people like that tend to leave a path of utter demolition and not exactly because they want to, but it happens, heh. Ok, I admit, this was my excuse to get Vash crying over a knocked-down silly doughnut xD And because I only knew the definition of obdormition a few months ago n.n


	40. Good Girl

**Dark: **Ok, my exams start in… uh, two weeks? Maybe. Either way, I'm not sure if I'll be able to update during the next three weeks. We'll see. If many of you beg me for it, I may xDD Oh, and we reached 11000 hits, yay!! n.n

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Fall  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Humour.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Manga.  
**Warnings:** Some spoilers. Beware.  
**Summary: **A completely random and ordinary day for two completely random and ordinary men. _Not_.

* * *

ºººººº **Good Girl** ºººººº

A red and blond lump groaned softly while the unyielding sand beneath it ignored it merrily. Off to the side, a dark blur was busying himself with his beloved one, drawling out soft sweet nothings and cooing noises.

It wasn't like the aforementioned spiky haired man to glare at the back of the latter's head while he seemed to want some "quality time" that whispered _privacy_, but they were out in the sun.

Midday's sun.

Was it really needed to remind those two that this was Gunsmoke? You know, a far, far away planet that had practically as much grains of sand as the whole number of living cells that existed upon it? And that said sand was _burning hot_ at this time of the day?

Vash the Stampede was patient. Or at least, he considered himself as such.

And usually, Wolffwood's actions and speech would sound extremely amusing and worthy of his attention if only for the pleasure of replaying it all later on to tease him about it.

But there were limits, set by the facts stated above, even if it had to deal with an easily enraged priest whose neck was starting to look pretty inviting to the sixty billion double dollar man's twitching fingers.

Huffing, Vash spit out bits of random sand and sat up. Gently, he brushed the remaining sandy grains that found the skin of his face to be a comfy and different set instead of the dull ground as not to get any more scratched than he was. Finally, he was able to stand up to his full height and keep brushing away at the rest of the intruding sand.

As best as he could, of course.

Grains of sand were pretty evil after all. They enjoyed proliferating in the smallest cavities and weirdest places, secluded ones.

You know, like, behind your ears, in your hair and eyebrows or right above your lip. Yup, weirdest of places.

As the gunman walked in the unsuspecting couple's direction, he picked up their shared water bottle, intent on having one or two gulps.

(It had been sheer torture to drink for both men; both wanting the water, but knowing perfectly well that it was just too goddamn hot to even sip it.)

Then, as his teal eyes looked at it, they widened in horror at seeing it empty.

No. _Noo_. This could not be.

_Last time I laid my eyes on it, it was half-full at least!_

"Wolfwood!! What the heck happened to our water!?"

"Told you my girl needed it, Tongari! She'll need it for all the things I want her to do later today!!" there was slight happiness in the younger male's tone. It then lightened up a few octaves. "Won't you, hm? Yes you will, oh yes you will!"

Holding back a groan, the Humanoid Typhoon finally managed to walk up to his friend's side and, unceremoniously, kicked the side of the motorcycle that was in front of them. It moaned as metal grinded against metal, seemed to gain its balance for a moment, but then, nope, it tumbled haphazardly onto the ground, forming a nice, big dust cloud and matching crater.

"YAROU!!" in quick progression, the black haired man elbowed the fair eyed one on the ribs, then bonked him on the head with as much force as his tired frame could muster. Which was, nevertheless, quite astounding for someone who had survived solely on a lemon for over two days. "Angelina's our only way out of here, you know that!! And I still say it was your bloody bad luck that made her die on us!"

"I wasn't even the driver and I was sleeping! How come I'm the one responsible?!"

"I didn't say I knew that, I just said you **were** the responsible and that's all it matters! And I was about done too, bloody hell!"

"Uh… Wolfwood?"

"What _**now**_??"

"I think your bike's gonna-" his sentence was briefly interrupted by the sound of something heavy sliding down and moving a not so small mass of sand with it. More dust came up. "-fall down the dune…"

Dark hues widened and previously prepared fists fell down. "Spiky?"

"Hm?"

"If Angelina explodes, is broken beyond repair or has both tyres flat as soon as I step down this dune, I'm burying you along with her, got it?"

"Okay, whatever you say, Wolfwood." Accepting the fact that they'd have to be stranded for at least a couple more hours in the middle of the desert, Vash merely plopped down on the sand. Ignoring the way the grains clung to him, ecstatic, all the way.

"But I'll kill you first, you hear me? I'll feel better that way!" his partner's voice started to fade as the priest descended to tend to his poor bike.

_I think the sun's gonna beat you and fry me first, I'm afraid… so sorry to disappoint you._

"And **then**, I'll dug you out and kill you all over again! For good!!"

"Sure, Wolfwood. I'll just wait here."

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Yarou:** Insult that can mean idiot or bastard or anything and everything in between.  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **Uh… don't ask xDD no, Wolfwood just annoyed me about the fact that I was neglecting him a lot, so x) hehe, this was also to perk me up during a particularly nasty day. Hope you enjoy another try of mine at humour. Review? Please?


	41. Sleeping

**Dark: **Almost 12000 hits! Wow, I'm impressed, really , Ok, I only have about 300 more exercises to finish off and my whole manual for both my exams and my mum says I'm working too hard.. So she shooed me here xDD So yeah, why not update? n.n

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Equal  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Family/General  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Manga.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **It was true that they were twins. But they weren't as much alike as one may think. They had their differences. Subtle, but they were there.

* * *

ºººººº **Sleeping** ºººººº

An outsider would most likely say that, if one didn't consider the haircut, the eye colour and the small beauty mark on the corner of one of their eyes in exactly symmetric positions, the twins were impossible to distinguish.

Both had the same kind of innocent grin, both were thirsty for knowledge, both loved to roll on the grass of the Rec. Room…

But there were differences between them.

Their handwriting for one. Knives had a much thinner and taller calligraphy, while Vash took a bit more time to write his less personalized, more round words.

The way they saw things wasn't exactly the same either; while the younger of the two had the tendency to say something was half-full, the other said it was half-empty.

More important than those, their expressions also differed from one another depending on the subject: a slightly more technical one usually gave the platinum blonde's light blue eyes an unique and enraptured glint while the similar (but not equal) pair of teal hues looked a bit bored.

Nevertheless, Rem believed that most of their subtle differences were shown while they slept.

Vash tended to curl up after falling asleep, more often than not on his right side. Both his legs would be pulled up close and his right arm would be placed behind his head.

A position of hesitance, of self-protection, never fully relaxed.

The older plant, on the other hand, usually fell asleep on his back and stayed that way. Some time later, one of his hands (frequently, his left one) came up to rest near his stomach.

A trusting position, calm, even careless for a moment.

If Rem was honest with herself, she'd have to say that she preferred to sleep next to the latter, because Knives rarely moved in his sleep, contrary to his twin. Many times, she had been startled awake by a sharp kick to the shins by the spiky haired youth as he dreamt; she never told the child that, knew he didn't do it on purpose and didn't want him to go and blame himself, but still, it wasn't all that pleasant to be woken up like that.

Still, the most peculiar thing was that Knives, who was normally the first one to inform his brother about all things that the younger one did/thought wrong, did not mind about the sporadic kicks; quite the contrary.

It had happened during a particular night where the woman had felt the need to go to the bathroom.

When she returned, she paused by the side of the rather large bed the three of them happened to be sharing. In normal circumstances, Rem slept alone and the boys had their own room, but they used the big bed to take their naps together once in a while and whenever Vash shyly asked them to with the palest flush over his cheeks.

This time, it was because of the latter.

The young human worried her lip at noticing Vash's expression. _He looks scared. Most likely by a nightmare._ Not a full minute later and even before the small whimper he let out finished, the teal eyed youth moved his legs upwards sharply. He also happened to be facing his brother that night, not even a feel away.

Knives' slightly parted lips and relaxed expression were disturbed when one knee hit one of his legs. He then frowned a little and mumbled something under his breath, too low for his foster mother to catch. And then, he did something completely unexpected.

His right hand reached out towards his left side and lazily, the boy turned to lie on that side. Said hand then landed on the trembling shoulder of his twin, right beside him, and trailed along his back, resting between Vash's shoulder blades. With a last deep breath that he let out in a sleepy sigh, his calm expression returned.

With just that, the disturbed plant calmed down. His shivering stopped and his legs relaxed, now not so close to him. Vash scooted just a little closer to him and finally settled down. A few minutes later, a small smile was dancing on his lips.

Touched by the scene, Rem smiled widely and lied down just behind the teal eyed child, spooning him so that he felt he wasn't alone whether he chose to lean forwards or backwards. With a hand, she carefully ruffled the other twin's light locks.

_You did well, Knives. Sankyu._

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Sankyu:** Familiar way of saying "thanks".  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **Ok, so this one's a tad little bit different than the usual. But I wanted to try it out and see how it came up :P (my excuse for making a little comparison, huh). Tell me what you think, hm? xD


	42. A Greater Good

**Dark: **HAHAHA, my poor keyboard's now suffering everyday and every second I'm home!! YES!! My exams are over, just waiting for the results and I've nothing to worry about! n.n So, onto writing!!8DD Enjoy and make me even happier by reviewing, onegai! (didn't update sooner, because I went out both on Thursday and yesterday xP)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Sacrificed  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama  
**Pairing(s):** Hints of both VashxMeryl and WolfwoodxMillie  
**Verse:** Manga.  
**Warnings:** Some death and blood? And some spoilers for a few things, yeah.  
**Summary: **Knives was wrong. It wasn't just their kin.

* * *

ºººººº **A Greater Good** ºººººº

It had always been a mulling of his. Always. Nagging a little, constantly present and coming up whenever he lost himself in thought.

"Do you think they were sacrificed?" a small cloud of condensed air flowed from his lips. Other than that, Vash didn't move; he kept his chin placed on his knees and both arms around his legs.

Beside him, Knives turned his head towards him, one eyebrow lifting, wondering what this was all about. "Them?" he made a vague gesture towards the humans in cold sleep on the walls of the ship's cryogenic chamber.

"No… The ones left behind. Back on Earth."

Bright blue hues saddened. "I… dunno. I mean, I don't think so. Their planet is dying, but… I think the few that are still there can make it."

"Sou ka."

Later, it had reached its peak and he truly believed that _**they**_ – the plants, not the humans – were the ones meant to be sacrificed.

Even his eyesight shook as he took in the completely disfigured shape of Tessla floating in that sickening sterile liquid. It didn't even register when his twin fainted from the shock of what he saw.

_Yes… They use us whenever they need to, however they need us. Then, when we finally die, they study us and take us apart. It's like that, isn't it? We're just means to an end._

His opinion would change radically once again during the Great Fall. On his knees as the ships crashed onto the practically resource-less planet, haunted teal eyes stared up into the sky, watching with an almost morbid fascination as such disaster came about.

_No, not only us. Humans can also be sacrifices for us. Or for Knives, at least… And as for Rem.. it was by her own choice._

Why, he hadn't known then. Now, he could understand. If only a little bit.

Next time when this contemplation rose again, it had been around the time when Vash first felt helpless when discovering that he did not age, when he first realized that all that would change would be the number of scars he had.

_Even I. Even I'm a sacrifice to the kind of world I seek to have. A world of Love and Peace… That's the future I look forward to. While its past is full of pain and sorrow and despair. For the greater good, isn't it?_

At that time, he asked Rem for strength, the strength he'd need to keep a goofy, happy-go-lucky smile on his lips.

Another time was after Lost July. The first time when he realized sacrifices didn't need to be living beings.

While holding a trembling hand to what remained of his left arm to try and slow down the bleeding before he fainted from the blood loss, the tears that followed his train of thought could not be helped. _Our bond… That presence at the back of my head… I-I can't feel it. Knives shut himself away from me._

Just one more thing that reminded him of the failure he was to Rem for not taking care of his twin.

The death of Nicholas D. Wolfwood also made him reconsider his past ponderings whilst he forced himself to keep digging the makeshift grave, the Punisher keeping vigil over him.

_Wolfwood… and Millie… You've both become one too. I didn't want you to… Or Meryl… Or anyone else… But you're yet another sacrifice._

During the most agonizing hours of his existence, the few hours that followed his awakening after he was forced to kill Legato Bluesummers and he was unconscious, he was yet reminded of those same thoughts.

_Someone… who could be happy, free.. if only some things hadn't happened… All a sacrifice. Is innocence truly meant to only exist in childhood? And sometimes, not even then?_But the last time he thought of it, quite a few years had passed since then.

Absently, in the middle of the cold, dark night, his right hand trailed over the small of her back, over her hip and his fingertips lightly ran over the taut skin of her swollen stomach. He smiled into her nape as Meryl snuggled closer to him in return.

_Let me be the one who's hurt, the one who lives with all the wars of this place and all the hardships… the sacrifice if you will. But please, let my children have peace.  
_  
_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Onegai:** Please.  
**Sou ka:** I see.  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **That last sentence was taken from an episode of "Criminal Minds", quite a good series x) It was the one that originated this in the first place n.n (yup, anything is an excuse for me to write xD).


	43. Insatiable

**Dark: **Oh… my… I reached 100 reviews!! Gawd, I'm shocked! But so happy! X3 To celebrate, I posted this particular piece, which I hope is to your liking! :D It's my thanks to all my faithful readers who keep on reviewing!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Hand.  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Romance/Humour.  
**Pairing(s):** Light VashxMeryl.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** None, not really.  
**Summary: **"…They beckoned."

* * *

ºººººº **Insatiable** ºººººº

A hand, decorated with a rather nasty looking scar across its back, reached to the table. Grabbed its objective. Returned back towards its owner.

Another hand, much smaller, slender and lighter, also reached out. But the arm it was attached to wasn't as long, no matter how the delicate limb stretched.

The other hand realized the smaller one's frustration and easily grabbed the pack of cookies it had been longing for. Happily, said hand reached into the pack and took out its prize, also going back to its previous place. The longer fingers of the large hand then placed the pack back on the table and waited.

It had been like that for a while.

…for about two and a half hours, five packages of doughnuts and one and a half pack of cookies later to be exact.

Vash certainly didn't mind. And while Meryl had felt a bit guilty at first, she looked rather comfortable now.

Their eyes met for an instant then, impossible greyish violet hues and breathtaking ocean blues, then looked down once again.

A pair of bow shaped, ruddy lips quirked up in a victorious grin. "I win!"

"Damn you, Insurance Girl.. I could swear you had no aces left."

««Flashback»»  
"**No**, Vash-san! I certainly can't leave this report and go slouch on the couch!"

"Aw, c'mon! It's the weekend! Your typewriter won't run away!"

"I can never be sure; the weirdest things happen when you're around."

From behind the short woman, Vash sweatdropped, "Let's not exaggerate…"

Then a rustling sound was heard; rough and familiar. If Meryl could move her ears, she would. Instead, she turned her head around so fast the gunslinger was afraid it would pop out.

In one of his hands, a small pack of cookies was held. More specifically, _her_ _favourite brand_ of cookies.

Letting out a defeated sigh, the blond man waved it around, fighting back a grin as her big grey eyes followed. "Well, guess I can go and eat these alone then."

It didn't even take five seconds.

"**Nani**!!" then something rather heavy connected with the back of his skull that almost sent him sprawling to the floor. Giving it a wary glance, he recognized the lump as being her mantle, which was being sniffed by the black kitty that had entered the house after Milly's last trip for pudding. "Those are _mine_, Vash the Stampede! What gives you the right to eat them?!"

"You're here screaming at me – not even working – so why shouldn't I? You certainly aren't eating them, are you?" the blue eyed Typhoon started opening the plastic, fully aware of her eyes on his slow, lazy fingers. "And you didn't buy me my doughnuts when I asked you to." He heard her groan of frustration.

"Is that why you're being this annoying!?"

"Why, Insurance Girl…" he smiled. If it was any other person other than Vash, Meryl swore it would be called a smirk instead. "All I'm doing is opening this pack."

"It's mine."

"Doesn't have your name on it."

"It's _still_ mine!" her voice was starting to rise. Good.

"There we go." The pack was open. Vash was quick to pull out the first chocolate cookie from it and take a large bite off of it, which left less than a quarter of the delicacy still in between his fingers.

But before he could bring the rest to his mouth, it was tugged out of his hand, as was the rest of the pack. His eyes opened in time to see Meryl pop the remainder of the cookie into her own mouth and grip the rest of them close to her chest as if he was some kind of rabid animal that would fight her over them.

It took him quite a lot of will power not to snicker at the sight.

But then, she was walking out of the room in a hurry. Blinking, Vash followed. "Hey.. Hey! Where are you going?"

"To get your stupid doughnuts so that you stop stealing _my_ stash of cookies, broom-head!"

Pausing at the top of the stairs while she picked up her wallet, the wanted Stampede couldn't help but grin. _Well, all I wanted was some change to go buy them, but if she insists…_

Not even thirty minutes later, ten full packs of doughnuts were sprawled onto the kitchen table while teal hues devoured the sight of them. "Watch it, short girl! They're delicate!!"

"Whatever." The word was spoken around a mouthful of chocolate covered cookies with chocolate chips made of chocolate dough. After a full minute had passed and the sound of ripping paper had to still reach her ears, she opened one eye to glance his way, frowning. "What?"

He was doing that smile-smirk thing. "Why aren't you back in your room already?"

Her chewing paused. Her glance went to the pack of cookies. But her mouth didn't move.

"Insurance Girl?" Vash cajoled merrily once again on the verge of cracking up laughing, but he held tight. For the moment.

"…They beckoned."

With that said, her job's subject tilted his had back and burst out laughing. After a while, she allowed a little smile of her own to show, knowing how silly it all was. Meryl munched on yet another cookie as he made an effort to control himself.

"Right, right, they beckoned… I've to keep that one in mind."

"Very funny."

Vash gave her an "It _was_ funny and you know it" kind of look, before opening a pack of his own stash. He ate one perfectly glazed, golden doughnut and was halfway through his second when he spoke again. "So how come you like them so much?"

She let out a soft chuckle. "When I was still studying, I ate them. Instead of stopping and having a snack, you know. I didn't waste much time. Before I knew it, they became a craving. Not as much as your obsession though."

"Sou ka." Absently running his eyes through their small kitchen and letting her jab slide, Vash's attention caught on something. "Meryl?"

"Hm?" the use of her first name didn't even register.

"What if we play some cards?"  
««End Flashback»»

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Nani:** What.  
**Sou ka:** I see.  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **There! I hope you like it! n.n Needless to say that I was munching away on my own favourite cookies when that one came up into my mind, huh xD more reviews, please? :P


	44. Tentative

**Dark: **Sorry for the delay. I've been pretty occupied, even if I'm on holidays. Much work to be done X3 I won't update next week, because I'll be going on a short trip to Munich (BAYERN!! WAHH! Ok, not really xD), but expect something on Friday night! Now, more pranks from the twins, hehe n.n have fun and please review! :D

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Guilty.  
**Rating:** G  
**Genre: **Drama/Humour.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime/Manga.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **He didn't want his brother to look unhappy or contemplative, it wasn't like him. Thinking was one of his tasks, not Vash's. A brotherly moment.

* * *

ºººººº **Tentative **ºººººº

"I… I can't…"

His partner frowned, then huffed. "Oh please, it's not hard. Third degree equations are harder than this and you use the Cardan-Tartaglia formula of the cubic functions close eyed by now. What's complicated about using your imagination, brother?"

Vash's eyes, which had bee averted to the side, slowly moved to stare right ahead. They met the blank face of a sleeping young girl who couldn't be older than seventeen. She could either look as if she was sleeping profoundly, which she was, or as if she had died a peaceful death.

But, for now, neither of the boys ever thought of that chance.

"Demo-"

"Just try it!" Knives shoved him shoulder, grinning, "Give it a shot! I'll help when you run out of ideas."

The darker blond child finally sighed. It was hard saying no to his twin. "'kay… Well… I think… she looks like someone who would… choose Medicine, perhaps? Y'know.. that responsible kind of air."

"Go on."

Gaining a bit more trust, he did. "She studied really hard for it. But she also had fun whenever she could."

"Really?"

"Yeah, like… watching movies on Friday nights!"

"With whom?" Curiosity picked, Knives leaned in a bit, left hand holding up his chin. "Her parents?"

"Sometimes. But she also had a couple of friends. They liked her for who she really was, so they always invited her along." he smiled, sounding pleased with himself. "Now's your turn."

"Hmm." A new glint in the intense blue hues said his twin had just had another idea. "Her childhood wasn't as good as her adolescence, though. Her mother was not an only child, you see. She had an uncle. But her uncle didn't like her very much. There were times when things went wrong." To clarify Vash's confusion, he lifted his hand and pointed to the almost unnoticeable scar upon the young woman's cheek, horizontal and just below her softly closed eye. "There's a proof of that."

The younger of the two frowned. "Mou. I didn't like that last part."

Blinking, Knives glanced back at him. "It doesn't have to be true. I mean, it was just an idea."

"I know that."

As they got up to leave, teal eyes couldn't help but look back at their newly made "friend". He couldn't help wondering either.

_"It doesn't have to be true."_, Knives had said.

Of course not.

But it could also be. Only the girl would know. And it could take years before he found out. If at all.

Movement from the corner of his eyes suddenly caught his attention, but before he could see what it was, a small finger flickered the very tip of his gently upturned nose, making him blink.

"Oye." Not five seconds later, there was his twin standing in front of him, a light frown upon his maturing features, "What's with that face?"

"Eh?"

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?" Knives offered a faint smile. A guilty one. He had been the cause of Vash's sudden anguish. Maybe he should've let the younger one finish the story after all and not add what he had. "C'mon, I wanna show you something."

"What it is?" blinking again, now with his own curiosity picked, the younger of the two let himself be guided by the wrist, his previous thoughts now placed upon a not so attention-grabbing spot on his mind, for a later reference. And that was what his brother wanted.

The platinum blond haired plant let them away from the room and back onto the flagship's main corridors, taking a few turns here and there. For a brief moment, Vash wondered if he had wanted to make them both get lost; it wasn't often, but it had happened before. But then again, like it happened those times, Knives would simply reach out for one of the crew members' minds, usually Joey's, and have access to what information he needed to get them back on familiar grounds.

But no, that couldn't be it, because these corridors were familiar to him as well. Quite familiar, in fact. "Uh, Knives, why are we going into-"

"Shush!"

They entered the room after putting in the access code on the door's electric lock, looking around. Sensing no movement or noise, the older of the two kept going, making sure to turn around and place his index finger over his lips to ask for silence from his accomplice.

Still wondering what the heck his twin could be thinking about, but awfully curious now, Vash just went along with it, nodding to let him know he understood. They both came to a stop by the side of the big bed, analogous smiles tugging at their lips.

"Let's make up this one's story, hm?"

Letting his gaze run over his brother's now mischievous expression, the more innocent of the two couldn't help but start to form a similar one. "Umm… well…"

"As a child, she was a complete troublemaker. That is exactly why she is rubbing off on us nowadays, even if she doesn't admit it." Laughing a little, the young genius nudged his look-alike to go on.

Vash's own snickers were a little bit louder and because of that, Knives gave him a look to stay quiet and not wake up their current "victim", which he was quick to do. "Err, okay… she likes candy a lot too. Even today, she does, you and I know that."

"And cake. That's why she laughs along with us and join us when we make a mess out of the kitchen."

Again making his best to keep quiet, the darker blond nodded. "Hai! And food fights too! Umm… but she's evil as well. Because she scolds us and then laughs about it afterwards! Like the time when we ruined Rowan's shirt, remember? She was trying to look mad… but she kept laughing and then we'd laugh too and Rowan then comes up and acts all mad too and it's even funnier when he acts all mad like that!"

"Yeah!" now it was the other way around, Knives trying not to break up into fits of laughter at the thought of what they were saying and the remembrance of the memory and Vash trying his best to make him quiet while trying to do the same thing at the same time, because his twin's laughter was, to put it simply, very contagious.

"But you know, she really is evil. And mad right now. Reason why you're both in very compromising situations, you blond terrors."

Both kids jumped at the new voice and neither of the two knew who was the one who let out a yelp, if the older, if the younger, if the two. At the shock, they had both reached towards each others, one hand over one shoulder, another gripping a loose shirt quite tightly, one gripping an arm out of sudden fright and one remaining small hand that didn't quite know what to do other than twitch.

Rich dark eyes looked playfully at their antics from the mess of covers and sheets of her bed. The boys' hushed voices and chuckles had awakened her, but Rem didn't mind. She seriously doubted she ever would. She then smirked a little and lifted herself by her arms into a half crawl. Letting them both be aware of the amused glint in her hues, she lunged for them both. "Rawr!!"

Letting out amused squeals, the twins weren't quite ready for her and all the three fell over to the floor, rolling around it for a moment, all laughing and poking and tickling here and there.

Rem had put them both to bed a little over an hour ago. And though she had no idea why they had gotten up and entered her room, she didn't mind, it was alright. She would have to have a talk with Knives later though, since he seemed to be the one behind this if the fact that he had sounded more confident said anything about it.

As for Knives, he was merely happy with the fact that Vash was no longer supporting that kind of expression from before. He didn't want his brother to look unhappy or contemplative like that, it just wasn't like him. Thinking was one of his tasks, not Vash's. It just didn't fit.

It seemed that his idea was good in the end. But, later, he would have to thank Rem for topping it off perfectly as well.

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Demo:** But.  
**Oye:** Hey.  
**Hai:** Yes.  
**Owari:** The end.

Nightheart: Thank you very much! :D Hehe, yes, I was eating cookies while writing the last chapter n.n it helped! X3

**Dark: **The Cardan-Tartaglia formula of the cubic functions was something I had to research about for a particularly annoying project on the Project Area subject. If you don't know what that is, consider yourself lucky. Anyway, it's like the name says: it allows you to discover the solutions for the zeros of a cubic function. It's goddamn long and _very_ complicated. But anyways, hope you liked it! This one was yet another one that started in one way and ended in a completely different way than I thought! Hope it came out alright xP


	45. Wrestling

**Dark: **So very sorry, I had meant to upload this on the 29th, but bleh, I had no time on my hands. Then, I travelled to Bulgaria, then I had food poisoning (or something. Bottom line is that I spent half a night up befriending the room's toilet and moaning, if you catch my drift), then I had training and _**now**_, yes I've some free time. Never fear though, even as I worked on my tan during those vacations, I wrote a few one shots! x)

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Bed.  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **(attempt at) Humour.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime/Manga.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Meryl would feel better if she reassured Millie with sentences like "they're both adults, they can handle it" or "they sometimes don't look like it, but they can be responsible when they really want to", but she didn't like lying.

* * *

ºººººº **Wrestling** ºººººº

Their eyes had yet to turn away from one another. They held each other's gaze carefully, patiently, even when both stumbled over the stairs more than once.

They never once thought about the clerk behind the counter who raised both eyebrows as far as they would go, wondering about two of his newest clients as they made their way to the room they had booked for the night.

Really, it was none of his business, but still, those two looked rather suspicious. If it weren't for the heavy and obvious long colt the blond had slung over one hip and the fact that the other looked like a serious, quiet priest, he'd let the sheriff know, but as it was, he'd keep his own mouth shut.

Returning to the matter at hand, both men fumbled with the lock while still keeping their eyes on the other one's. One hand did its best to slip the key into the keyhole without the aid of sight and a gloved one rested over the knob, waiting to turn it.

Eventually, they managed. Somehow.

And just then, both broke into a sprint.

"The bloody bed's **mine**, Tongari!!"

"No way! I slept on the floor last time, Wolfwood!"

"Great, then you're already used to it!"

"Wolfwood!!"

The black-clad man lunged for the so wanted piece of furniture, but the humanoid typhoon right behind him twisted his bag away from his shoulder and swung it sideways into him.

The blow made the priest lose his balance – which was already precarious if one noticed the speed he was going at, really, not to mention the floor that had gone slippery with use – and tumble down not so gently, which gave Vash the opportunity to slip past him.

However, the dark eyed gunman quickly grabbed a hold of one of the many folds of the material belonging to the other's red duster and yanked on it. Hard.

Now, according to Physics, if there was a body with an applied force heading in one direction, if another force in another direction was also applied, the speed of said body would be affected. The bigger that opposing force, the more affected it will be.

Everyone knows Nicholas D. Wolfwood's strength is not one to be messed with.

What said man didn't expect was the blond plant to topple down right on top of him. Wonders of gravity.

"Oof!! Get off, you ass! I've to breathe!"

The blond sweatdropped. "And I need to get to the bed before you do!"

Exactly one floor below, Millie winced. "Umm… Sempai?"

Across the room, unpacking, Meryl made a higher note on her calm whistling to let her partner know she was listening.

"Do you think Vash-san and Boukushi-san are alright?"

"Sure they are, Millie." The older of the two seemed to not even notice when the lamp on the bedside table moved when another loud _thump_ sounded from above. "Don't worry too much about it."

Meryl would feel better if she reassured Millie with sentences like "they're both adults, they can handle it" or "they sometimes don't look like it, but they can be responsible when they really want to", but she didn't like lying.

Even if it was in the name of reassuring innocent insurance partners.

So, she would leave it at that.

Because not even she, who had faced all kinds of outlaws and dangerous persons, dared to go upstairs and see exactly what those two _boys_ were up to.

She didn't fancy earning herself yet another mental scar. She already had enough to last her a lifetime.

_Owari_

* * *

**  
Vocabulary:  
****-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Boukushi: **rough translation of "Priest".  
**Owari: **The end.  
**Anou:** Err.

**Dark: **Umm. Short. Spur of the moment. Completely and utterly. And a plot bunny. It refused to go away once it came. Heh. Yeah. Anou… please review?


	46. Limit

**Dark: **Here you go n.n Enjoy and please review at the end!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Knowledge  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Drama.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Manga.  
**Warnings:** Some spoilers. Beware.  
**Summary: **One should known Vash the Stampede wasn't very well known for establishing limits, not quite. It had been good not to know one's limits.

* * *

ºººººº **Limit** ºººººº

Every living being should be aware of his or her limits.

That was the main reason as to why pain exists.

The reaction of any animal to pain is to recoil. It's instinctive and a primary response of our body. No matter how hard one may train, they will always feel it if a mere mosquito breaks the skin.

It's one of the many ways the organism, as a whole, has to protect itself. Not the person's individuality per say, but the muscles, tendons, millions and millions of cells that may be in danger that belong to that system. Because the pain is like the ringing of a bell: if you keep at it, _**then**_ it'll really start to hurt, so knock it off. That's the message, clear as crystal.

There are a few animals that have no notion of this for the most various reasons. Some do not run away while hunting and being hurt by their prey, even if there will be precarious consequences afterwards. Or sometimes, they act too late and before they know it, they are no longer among the living.

As the sweat kept stinging his brow and the sensitive skin near his eyes, Vash's thoughts went to his brother. Perhaps it had been then that his body had given him the message that, if he allowed this to go on, it would go very bad.

And it did.

The searing pain flashing every few seconds through his left arm was making that pretty darn clear, even while his mind went in and out of consciousness and barely registered the soothing kind words Doc said here and there.

Perhaps the pain the death of Rem brought had been the first warning, but Vash didn't want to (couldn't?) believe it.

But as the incidents of Lost July and then Augusta happened and the pain got worse, Vash allowed himself to delve back into those thoughts yet again while stumbling blindly through the ruins of the once thriving city.

Wait.

There was no need to go that fair.

The pain that came along with not being able to get to know people as well as he'd like for fear of them getting killed slowly built up until he could barely put up with it once again during his long life time.

Same went to all of his lost friends.

_Brad… Wolfwood… _

And also while he knew, at the back of his head, that it would be very difficult to break down Legato's barrier while he was held down prisoner in Knives' ship, he did not take the pain in both his mind and body seriously.

His sole thoughts were on getting out and stopping his twin, the end. As the good doctor would much later tell him, he had been lucky such actions, prolonged for several months, hadn't indeed resulted in his own death.

But one should've known Vash the Stampede wasn't very well known for establishing limits, not quite.

In fact, one should say he had no knowledge of his limits.

Didn't know just how far his plant powers really reached.

Didn't know when to stop trusting people, for they could never be too trustworthy in such a hostile environment as is Gunsmoke. And that led to the state his figure was in.

Didn't know when to stop smiling for that was sometimes the beginning of a bar fight, for whatever reason, seeing that human beings rarely needed a reason to start a fight.

Didn't know when to stop being benevolent to his brother.

The list could go on and on, even longer than his century and a half long existence.

Perhaps it was because all of that he was only now thinking about what could go wrong while fighting against Knives, if he could really stop him, stop the war, bring peace to the planet… or not.

It had been good not to know one's limits.

Ignorance, in this case, may not be bliss, but it helps.

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **Remember what I said at the beginning? Review! :P And guess what, next three chapters will feature scenes from the twins' past, hopefully! Also, I'm not sure if, once I reach chapter 50, I should take a small break to take care of a few other fics. Tell me what you think, please?


	47. Strong

**Dark: **I've officially lazed about this time , That "hopefully" last chapter turned into a "not really" xD I've decided to yes, take a break (no one answered the question, so. Try to change my mind, anyone?), and I wanted to finish with those three chapters featuring our favourite twins. So, instead, I bring you Meryl x) Don't forget to review.

* * *

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Lost  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Angst/Drama.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for episode 25 and around. Set right after Vash left to face you-know-who.  
**Summary: **It was a duty. An obligation. No one had ever told her that, but she knew it in her heart. If she wasn't, she'd fail.

ºººººº **Strong** ºººººº

It was one thing Meryl prided herself on.

Her strength.

Such a thought, the urge of keeping a clear head, her back straight, her eyes serious, her senses alert… in other words, of looking strong, had always been on her mind through all her life.

It wasn't that she minded the fact of being vertically challenged (it would be nice to be taller, but it's not like she thought about it during every moment of her existence), but that in particular caused her to fight for a place in society for quite a few years now. Especially when she had a field job, normally occupied by corpulent gun-wielding men. But it was her dream and she fought for it with all she had.

And guess what, she surpassed even her own expectations.

Her family also didn't agree with such a job.

_"Too dangerous!"_

_"Very un-lady like!"_

_"Too unstable!"_

_"So rash! And reckless!"_

_"Good grief, child, what are you thinking!?"_

All of that and much more was said. Nevertheless, she fought, kept her chin held high. She did not give up.

Then she met Milly.

Her responsibilities grew; she saw the younger, yet bulkier woman as a very good and helpful comrade, but also as someone she should protect. Whether it was to protect her, her innocence or the promise to herself to be strong, Meryl wasn't so sure. Still, she tried.

And when the insurance agent thought she had it under control… there came the stampede.

Literally. _The_ Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon.

Her controlled and strong looking façade crumbled and suffered severe damage after said man first encountered her and her partner.

Her strength as an insurance agent was kept intact, thank goodness, for she knew Vash admired her determination for her job, the way she faced nasty people because her job made her, the way she kept a professional front and still tried to save the day the best she could.

But her strength as a person… her strength as "Meryl", not as "Derringer Meryl Stryfe"…

There were brief moments where it truly disappeared.

That horrendous night when Vash finally awoke after killing Legato Bluesummers…

The fateful (and ironically sunny) day when said blond left to face his twin with no promise of ever coming back, alive or not…

She lost herself back there. Well, her strength actually, but for her, it felt exactly the same.

Because of that, she considered her quality of being strong as a duty, an obligation, something that truly must exist for her to fully function.

Because if it didn't, then Meryl herself didn't exist. She'd be like a shell, a trembling, crying, fragile woman. And she hated herself for ever feeling like such.

Milly needed her, that strength of hers, even if it wasn't completely there. Like when her beloved priest had died. Meryl had been her pillar, helped the poor girl to pull herself back together.

And Vash also needed her. To keep on believing, that he'd return from his fight with his brother soon, very soon, or not, but when he did, he'll need her to be strong for him, to help him in anything, anything that he may ask of her.

If not, Milly could shut herself off and wither away. The big girl had never, ever done such a thing, but Meryl didn't even want to risk thinking about it.

If not, Vash may never smile the way he smiled at the children he often played with, the way he had smiled on that cliff in the little no-name town that had wanted him dead.

If not, if she could not be strong… Meryl would fail.

Fail her family, her closest friends (which she also considered family), fail at her own life.

And Meryl did not wish to fail.

She had been strong before. She would be strong in the future.

Meryl was not lost any longer.

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
****Vocabulary:  
Owari: **The end.

**Dark: **I guess you could consider this a companion one-shot to last chapter, but it works as a stand-alone too. You decide x) Please do review.


	48. Names

**Dark: **Here it is! 8D My "trilogy" of some sorts xD Part one!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Makeshift  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **General/Family.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **Because every mother knows that choosing the name for her children is of the utmost important. Even if Rem is merely a foster mother. After all, their biological mother isn't someone she could talk to…

* * *

ºººººº **Names** ºººººº

The platinum blond twin was the first to be born.

Still amazed at the fact that the newborn literally passed through the glass of the giant bulb, Rem was nevertheless quick to catch the hint and unwrapped the outer jacket of her suit, suppressing a quick shiver, and caught the child in her arms as gently as she possibly could.

Her hands were quick yet gentle, afraid this life she held now would disappear with the slightest mistreatment as she checked his breathing, regular heartbeat, healthy tone of skin and even a hasty look at his anatomy, once again astonished that, contrary to the rest of his kind, he was fully humanoid.

All the while, half of her attention was still turned to the plant bulb, to make sure the second twin wasn't coming out of the glass with no support. As soon as there were signs of it though, sensibly four minutes and twenty-eight seconds later, Rem only had time to grab another fluffy and warm towel, equal to the one already tenderly wrapped around the baby lying quietly, yet restlessly, on top of a nearby table, and run back to the edge of the bulb once more to hold the younger twin in her arms.

Slightly less stressed now that the birth was done, the woman took her time to reach the table, gently clean the other infant and check the same things she had already checked with his little brother, reaching the same illations. Much calmer, she finally turned back to the real mother, noticing a silhouette at the bottom of the bulb instead of being in the centre and not as visible.

_She's probably exhausted. _A look at the readings of the plant's usual energy levels and performance said as much; the potential energy was all there, but not recommended to use for the moment due to the danger of it being too much for only a few hours.

Shaking her head to herself, Rem again wondered where the rest of the crew was when the alert to the mother plant's activity rose spontaneously, before turning her dark gaze back to the now calm babes; the restlessness from the older one seemed to be because of the lack of his brother beside him. She found herself smiling, _At least these two are well and look healthy._

Walking back to the bulb, she placed a hand upon the cool surface. "How would you have named them, my friend? What would you have liked? I'm afraid that I'll have to ask for your forgiveness, because I can't understand you even if you'd tell me." A sigh escaped her lips, "So, I can only hope that you won't resent me for what I choose."

Returning to the children's side, her fingertips brushed their heads ever so lightly, almost afraid they would be hurt if she pressed too hard. "At least for your older twin, I've already decided. Would it be too bad if I named him after one of my own loved ones?" she picked up said tiny angel. "How does Alexander sound to you, hm?" The movement caused him to open one dark blue coloured eye, blink, fuss a little and settle down again, not bothered with the change.

Rem chuckled softly. "I'll take that as an 'it's ok'." The human placed him down again, turning to the other remaining one. Almost as if feeling her still very much awed eyes on him, the darker haired infant looked back at her in a curious fashion, big hues (dark blue like his brother's, but a few tinges lighter) staring right back whilst a small hand rose half way.

Feeling a couple of tears in the corner of her eyes (heh, she didn't even wonder how she'd react if they were really hers...), one of her own hands lifted so that he could happily get a tight grip on two of her fingers. "What about you, little angel? What would you like?"

Casually glancing at their hands, both of his and one of hers, her eyebrows rose as the little kid made his best to separate her digits as far as they could possibly go. Then it clicked as she kept watching the way her fingers made a makeshift 'V'. Smiling, she playfully fought him back, her middle finger overlapping her index one to catch his attention. Her smile widened to a grin when his huge eyes returned to hers, "What do you think of Vash?"

_Owari_

* * *

  
**Vocabulary:**  
**Owari:** The end.

Note: The way I described their eye colour was not a mistake; newborns do not have their definite eye colour for sure until a few months pass by.

**Dark: **The idea of originally naming Knives as "Alexander" has been on my mind for ages (for many reasons, but you shall find out which in the next chapter), but credits are due and they go to Aine of Knockaine (again, thank you for the permission! :D) and her fabulous fanfic "Forever Mine" x) If you haven't read it yet, then do yourself a favour and do it, right after you review this please! n.n

Next up will be titled Knives. Enough for a hint?


	49. Knives

**Dark: **God darn them! Because of them, I almost forgot to post this on time! Thankfully, I did remember. Note: to those curious, the "them" here is my hazing veterans from my college. Urrgh, the guys are actually bearable and even funny, but the women are just impossible! Ok, I've finished ranting. Here is the next part, my favourite one n.n

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Encourage  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **Humour/Family.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **"Knives" isn't what one would call someone's name, is it? So, said humanoid plant makes a point of knowing why.

* * *

ºººººº **Knives** ºººººº

"Knives? What are you up to this time?"

His platinum topped hair merely tilted to the side in acknowledgement, too absorbed in the book he was reading at the time to even look up. Nevertheless, at the back of his mind, he still felt his foster mother's presence beside him as she kneeled.

A little to his annoyance, a delighted laugh, twinkling and very much alive, sounded soon after. "Oh? Trying to find the meaning of your name, are you?"

Knives merely let out an almost silent grunt. "It didn't have yours. It's not unexpected that mine isn't here either. Vash's is though. Means 'likeness', of Persian origin."

"Ah, I see." Rem fought down the urge to laugh again; she knew the older plant hated it whenever he was exposing yet another one of his theories. _This boy will truly be something else..._ Better not inform him that 'Rem' was merely a short form of her name, lest he stomp off to pout alone as he sometimes did when he didn't get his way. "But that's because you're looking in the wrong place."

Artic blue eyes gave her a weird look. "'Knives' is spelled K-N-"

Again she chuckled some more, wrapping a loose arm over the child's shoulders in an amiable way to pull him close. "Not exactly what I meant, Knives. Let me show you."

The book closed as the woman pulled it closer to her so that it was in the middle of them both. Then, she only opened a few pages, staying on the 'A' letter.

"Why are you-?"

"Hush. You'll see."

When reaching the 'Al' part, she slowed until she fully stopped. One slender finger started sliding along the page, before pausing. "Right here. Your name. Of a Greek origin, it means 'protector of men' and 'defender of humankind'. Also, 'a person with a large will to please'. See?"

"Rem!" he pulled away, deeply frowning, though the effect wasn't the one he could possibly expect on the features of a nine year old looking child, even if he wasn't even one. "That name is-!"

"Rem!! I've been looking for you for the past-" his twin's voice sounded, resonating around the cold-sleep chamber's walls. "Oh, hi, Knives!" his head poked from above Knives' left shoulder, wide smile in place. "What're you two doing?"

His brother scoffed then, "Rem's saying **that**'s my name." One long finger pointed at the name and meaning that one of said human's was pointing to.

Golden eyebrows furrowed and teal eyes almost crossed as Vash made a point to look at the book as close as he possibly could. "Your name's not spelled like that. That's 'Alexander'!" Knives rolled his eyes, refraining from saying 'That was what **I** was about to say…'.

"Yes, that **is** 'Alexander'." Placing one hand over each of the boys' heads, Rem ruffled their light hair. "And 'Alexander' **is **your name, Knives."

Before Knives had a change to sputter his sudden outrage, thus diminishing his reputation and estimated level of IQ by the crew, Vash fortunately beat him to it. "I'm not following…"

The young woman's twinkling laugh sounded once again, causing one twin to lift one eyebrow and the other to tilt his head to the side. "I guess I never told you two. Well, it went like this…"

««Flashback»»  
It was a rather calm day in the SEED's flagship.

Joey, along with Rowan, was doing a general scan of all the other ships to check out any casualties after reconfirming that their course was steady. After that previous task, Steve chose to take a nap back in his room.

That left the women by themselves, which they appreciated sometimes. Of course that every company, male or female, was very much appreciated in the position they were in, but Rem and Mary were _still_ women and women enjoyed to spend time in each other's company.

Besides, they had the two small additions to their "crew" to take good care of now. Those came in the form of twin plant infants whom were barely one month old.

"Vash is decidedly picky." Mary listlessly muttered as she tried for the twentieth time to make said babe eat his food. He refused, keeping his lips pressed against one another as tight as he could. The lukewarm, sweetened water had been no problem, but not the rest, oh no. The little kid had a sweet tooth already.

Rem glanced their way as she fed the older child his last spoonful, a smile quickly curving her lips upwards as she caught sight of the stubborn pout that Vash had recently adopted. "Just let me finish with Alex here and I'll help you out, 'k? Just hand me a knife so that I can cut this apple, please."

"Well, Vash does everything if _you_'re the one urging him on. Like I said, picky." Playfully and gently, Mary tweaked the darker blonde's tiny nose, causing him to huff a little to try and make her let go. "And the apple's for them?"

"No, it's for me, but maybe they'll like apple juice. We can let them have that within a few weeks perhaps." Rem chuckled, then ducked out of the way as the spoon the other human was using went flying. "Ah, temper…"

"I quit!" throwing her hands up, she turned to Rem. "Where's the knife then?"

The long haired female couldn't help but smirk a little, "Well, maybe next to the _other_ ton of knives we have in the drawer, hm?"

"Very funny, Saverem."

All the while, Vash had kept clear from Mary's direction, in case she tried to suddenly stick a spoon in his mouth (she did try that once!), but Alexander had let his deep blue gaze change back and forth from one to the other woman. At the last sentence of his foster mother, his head tilted cutely to the side. A tiny hand reached out for her, but she was just too far away for him to grab a hold of her sleeve. Gah, how annoying.

He had to find some other way to call her attention.

"I… Na…" his first attempt was rather weak, so he furrowed his platinum coloured brows in concentration, "Nay.." a quick glance at the adults told him he still hadn't been heard. And the noise from tableware being moved about in the drawer by Mary wasn't helping him at all.

"…prefer the black one?"

Again. "Ivez." His frown deepened; nope, not that yet.

"…whichever, so long as it cuts…"

"Ives!!"

Both women jumped at the sudden and very unexpected voice. They quickly turned back to the table where both babies were sitting at, looking from one to another intently. Vash was now staring curiously ahead and towards his brother, who looked a little pleased with himself, if a one-month-old-that-looked-and-acted-like-a-one-year-old could look pleased with himself.

"Ives!" he repeated rather happily.

Taking a few steps towards him, Rem found herself grinning like an idiot. Later, she excused herself that it was his first word. "What was that, Alex?"

"Nay… ves.." once more, he frowned in concentration.

His "mother" leaned in even closer, trying to encourage him. "No, no. It's 'knives'. Not 'nayves'."

One curious blink, then a perfect "Knives." sounded loud and clear.

With one hand over a now fussing Vash's shoulder, who was a little envious at all the attention his twin was having from Rem, Mary let out a quiet squeal, "Aw, wasn't that the cutest thing you've ever heard?"  
««End Flashback»»

As soon as the woman was done, Vash cracked up laughing. Still sitting instead of lying down like he was doing, Knives couldn't help the tiny splash of red that tinged the tops of his cheeks. "So, a nickname was chosen from then on?"

"It **was** your first word!" Rem again noted, smile still in place. From the background, a breathless "A _cute_ nickname!!" was also heard.

"Well, it explains why it's not here in the book." The blue eyed boy closed said item. "The reason why you and Mary-san chose it is… embarrassing, though."

"Soo, brother…" Vash finally caught his breath enough to speak right, "What do you prefer? 'Knives', 'Alexander', 'Alex'… or 'Ives'?" and the laugh restarted. Knives rolled his eyes.

"Oh, hush! I'll tell you about the first time you boys had to have a vaccine, then. You can't possibly imagine how your brother acted."

"Huh?" said younger plant quickly sat up, "Really?"

"As soon as you had it, you started crying and Knives here never did."

"Aww man!"

As he silently watched the exchange, Knives did allow a small smile to cover his lips. _Embarrassing perhaps. But kinda fitting. I'm more used to it than 'Alexander' either way. Even if I do agree on the meaning of that name._ His eyes settled on the many, many, many faces of the humans in the cold-sleep chamber, a glint in his eyes. _'Defender of humankind', huh?_

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.  
**Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **I did not make up the meaning of the name, I swear xD It was just too ironic for me not to write about it. Please review!! Just think my legs are aching from standing up for so long, you get sympathetic and leave a message (review) of support, what do you say? x) Again, credit for the flashback scene goes to the one and only Aine of Knockaine (thank you so much!!) and her work "Forever Mine"!


	50. A Reason

**Dark: **So sorry xP my bad. My week was very busy and only now did I have some time to breathe and turn on the computer.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

* * *

**Key-word:** Everything  
**Rating:** K  
**Genre: **General/Family.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** None.  
**Summary: **There was a reason why Knives was called that way. Or even 'Alexander', actually. There was always a reason why a person's name was called that way. But… Why 'Vash'?

* * *

ºººººº **A Reason** ºººººº

"Why 'Vash'?"

Rem blinked, looking away from Joey and Knives. The former was teaching the platinum blond how to play chess, something the child actually seemed fascinated by. The younger plant's sudden question made her wonder though. "What? What do you mean by that?"

"There's a reason why you chose 'Alexander' for Knives' real name. Because it had been the name of someone you cared a lot for." His wide teal eyes were searching hers. "There's a reason why you're called 'Rem' too, ne? But I dunno why you named me 'Vash'…"

She sighed. The real circumstances of her naming him would not be enough answer; this, she was aware of. But what better way to put it then?

"A name is only an "official" way for anybody to call another person. Sometimes, there isn't a reason for someone to be called one way or another. For example, most of the times, the family and/or parents decide on a nice name that all agree on for their newest member."

"Oh." His stare returned to his brother. While watching the way he acted as he did his best to learn and assimilate all chess moves that he possibly could for future reference and analysis, Vash could not help but feel somewhat jealous.

Knives' first name was 'Alexander', chosen by Rem, because a previous Alexander had been very dear to her. The nickname itself was chosen by both her and Mary, since it had been his first word.

But 'Vash' didn't have those reasons… Rem knew no one by that name. It hadn't been anyone famous either or something (the name Alexandre Magne came to mind; again, that had to do with Knives).

Was Knives really going to be the most important one on this subject? He _was_ the oldest and, honestly, Vash had no problem with that at all; in fact, he preferred he wasn't the one in the centre of attentions, but… In most things, they were balanced out, and for Knives to be above him in this one thing was.. discouraging.

Vash didn't particularly enjoy that feeling very much.

"Vash."

His chin came back up from the downward position it had been in. Rem's eyes were even softer than usual.

"It's not that important, Vash."

"But-!"

"A name can be whatever you think fits you best, whatever you like the most." One gentle finger tapped his small nose. "But you're making a name, which is nothing, sound as if it's everything."

He was now confused. "Wha?"

His "mother" couldn't help but giggle. "You've picked up the subject of me naming you boys as something crucial and essential when you shouldn't. A name is just that: some kind of "designation" of someone. But don't take me wrong, a name is something important. Just not as important as you might think."

"Hmm." The boy suddenly perked up. "If I believe a name is everything… and that mine's unique in its own way… thus, being everything… then, my name is better than Knives'!"

"Well, if you wish to see it that way!" Rem downright laughed. "Ok, Vash! But then, if I said before that you were my Vash, now you'll just have to be my everything. How does that sound to you?"

"Sounds great, Rem!!"

_Owari_

**

* * *

  
Vocabulary:  
Owari:** The end.

**Anonymous review:  
**blueninja33: There will be eventually more of that pairing, don't worry ;)

**Dark: **Please review. Credits for a few mentions of Knives' real name go to Aine of Knockaine once again x) I shall now make a short break in my postings, since my classes will start next week. And college is, well, pretty different… I want to see how things go first. Also, my social life increased xD still, please tell me what you think!


	51. Dreams

**Dark:** Ah, I've been MIA, I know XP Holidays are too short nowadays. Still!! I shall be back for a few short weeks, my dear readers! Because I wish to thank you for the fact that this looong fic that has given me so many joys is now on the Best Anime Fiction site and I couldn't be prouder!!! Of the fic and of you, of course.

All because of you, so I decided to thank you in the best way I can. By bringing you a few more chapters n.n And it won't be the last of me, I promise! I still have ideas, I only lack the time!

Enjoy and I do hope it's up to the standard of my last ones.

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**  
Key-word:** Teenage  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Spoilers some details of episode 25 and ending of the series.  
**Summary: **Being a plant and travelling with a half-crazed brother never left him much time to be and act like a teen. Vash wonders.

* * *

ºººººº **Dreams** ºººººº

Vash could not say he had been a teen. Well, not technically, either way. He had hit puberty, he had experienced all that came with that rather frustrating period, but with a homicide-obsessed twin walking alongside him, he never had had the time to sit down, enjoy and explore it.

Not to mention that it had passed a bit too fast, even if not as fast as his phase from infant to childhood.

But from what he had picked up from all his travelling, teenage life seemed an era of experiences, wild and completely life-changing ones sometimes, and rather fun. The outlaw could indeed see that during the short moments when he had watched several young teens along the years.

Though he never asked any of them.

But sometime during the night when Meryl had found him quietly singing Rem's song and then joined him, that question came up in between the rest of their random, but pleasant subjects.

Although he did not say it out loud.

He didn't dare.

It would feel too personal, something he still could not afford. Not until he faced Knives.

But once he came back, once his brother had been taken care of and Vash could at least breathe a little easier, he dared.

"My teenage years?"

And she told him, satisfying his curiosity.

She told him that she had hit puberty at the age of twelve with a tiny blush. Told him that she had also changed schools that year and that it took a while for her to adapt to the new environment and older kids.

She also told him how she had met her best friend there. How she had gotten her first bad grade at that school and even felt sick over it. And her following of chickenpox crisis too, which she hadn't had as a child. Unfortunately.

Also, dreams such as participating in Thomas racing and being best in class and taking a few part-time jobs to make some money of her own were shared.

Later, when she was fifteen, she told him of her first sleepover, of how she and a bunch of other girls had gotten plastered till around 7 in the morning.

"7?!"

"Hey, the latest I had gone to bed with my parents around was 4!" she laughed, "And because of my cousin. We played video games through the night while our parents talked. One has to make lemonade when life gives you lemons during adolescence, everybody knows that!"

With another slightly deeper blush, she also told him about her first boyfriend at the age of sixteen, much to her father's annoyance. A guy almost two years older than her, he had been sweet and caring, but that had frankly told her that she wasn't ready for a relationship yet. Which he was right.

Almost eighteen herself, she continued by telling him her experience in university and just how hard it had been, how the older students made fun of the freshmen, how mocked they had been and all the embarrassment.

"Is it that bad?"

"The older students just think they own the place, you know? Besides, with my size, everyone always doubted my own age. In a way, they're even more childish than we are when we first enter. But it's tradition…"

"It takes a big effort to attend the University. People know that, especially the students. It's not right."

She smiled sadly. "I know. But I don't make the rules."

Almost mechanically, she also spoke of the death of her father soon after. "I also knew he had lived a good, healthy life. It was just unfair that he died on me like he did, you know."

No, Vash didn't know. But he could guess, could imagine how the pain had been. "I'm sorry. Really."

"Don't be. It's in the past, I've dealt with it."

Vash then concluded that while teenage life was fun and many times wild, it wasn't always like that. Probably, the reason why was because of the levels of hormones that were usually uncontrolled.

Now he knew it were a few harsh years in a human's life. This information made him feel as if his shorter, teenage stage wasn't too bad. And that made him happier.

_Owari_

* * *

**Vocabulary:  
Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **Please don't forget to review, it helps getting me into full Trigun-mood!**  
**


	52. Mer

**Dark: **Here's the next one. Hope you enjoy this!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Same  
**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **General/Romance  
**Pairing(s):** VashxMeryl  
**Verse:** Valid to both.  
**Warnings:** Slight, implicit spoilers from episode 25?  
**Summary: **They were similar. He knew. But not just how much. Even their _names_ practically matched.

* * *

ºººººº **Mer** ºººººº

Vash had never thought about such a simple, clear fact.

Rem and Meryl had a lot of similarities, he knew that already. They shared some common beliefs, had a somewhat familiar motherly behaviour at certain times (even if the latter rarely let that show…).

But after casually glancing at one letter that the little insurance girl had in one hand as she let the item fall onto the mailbox, he noticed another thing.

Meryl.

And… Rem.

Mer.

Rem.

Or meR and Rem. Or Mer and reM.

Alright, so it was silly!

But nevertheless, it **was** the same thing if read backwards.

He felt his lips tugging and concluded that he was smiling to himself. And not a fake one either.

Sometimes, he liked to think that Meryl and Rem were related somehow. It gave him a slight amount of hope. A fake, wishful one, but it was hope nevertheless. Hope that Knives hadn't succeeded in destroying everything that connected him to their foster mother.

Just maybe.

But his favourite musing was the possibility of Rem having chosen Meryl to be the one in charge of him through Bernardelli. You know, influencing her boss (whoever he or she might be) into giving her the job and Millie, good old Millie, as her ever helpful assistant.

Even if such a thing wasn't very Rem-like…

But still, no one could blame him for dreaming.

"Vash-san?"

"Hm?"

"Lost in thought, huh?"

"Something like that. Say, insurance girl, ever had anyone tell you that they like your name?"

"Eh? No, why the-"

"I do."

"Oh. Umm… Thanks…"

_Owari_

* * *

**Vocabulary:****  
-san:** an honorific suffix addressed to someone whom is older or a stranger, as a sign of respect.**  
****Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **I know, I know. It's silly . Meh. I liked it! XD


	53. Third Time’s the Charm

**Dark:** MIA again! Whohoo for exams! Darn them all! Burn them all! Yeah, I'm kinda mad... Like I said, I lack time. A lot.

Enjoy. And please don't forget to review!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

**

* * *

**

**Key-word:** Poet.  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama.  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Manga.  
**Warnings:** Some spoilers. Beware.  
**Summary: **Wanderings. Simple wonderings. And simple rumours told over a millennia ago. Or are they?

* * *

ºººººº **Third Time's the Charm** ºººººº

Back in the sixteenth century, still back on Earth, a time when poetry was finally starting to bloom worldwide after the Greek glory of the eighth century, with Homer, there were three fatalities considered obvious to happen to great men.

And History, many, many times has a knack for repeating itself for some reason or another.

Great poets had a tendency to fall prey to money, love and bad luck.

And truly, despite the centuries that passed since that time so damn long ago, a time no one in Gunsmoke had any information about if one even cared to notice, without counting with a certain prodigy-who-was-actually-more-than-just-half-mad, one Vash the Stampede fitted the profile of those little, seemingly innocent fatalities stated above exactly.

(One just had to ignore the fact that "poet" should be substituted by "gunslinger". Or "outlaw". Or "plant". Synonyms, right? Right.)

Indeed, money was a backstabbing close friend of his. Vash needed it; everyone did. He needed it to buy necessities, namely food, bullets whenever they lacked and of course, hair gel. But a man walking around with a goddamned multimillionaire bounty on his head worth sixty billions no more no less, was dangerous if one happened to have distinguishing features. Such as his. Spiky blond hair? Unusual, unique teal coloured eyes? Big, bad red duster, as bright as possible? _Ignoring _him was what was hard.

Love was mostly the same, but not in the sense the word truly means, not the way said gunman meant it when he shouted it to whoever listened. Just… Love relative to the opposite sex, not his side of the coin.

(Could he consider the women he flirted with? Well, he could, just for the brief moment before they slapped him anyways…)

Before he met his insurance girls, it didn't actually matter, nor did it manifest. Really, he was fine with his attempts at flirting that he knew would fail and women either running and/or hitting him for it.

But then, Meryl came. And that view changed radically.

He started to mind the way she got angry at him, look forward to the way she sometimes (unconsciously) fussed over a wound he received, smile when she allowed a true smile of her own to curl her bow shaped lips, keep his eyes stubbornly down when feeling the gentle weight of her twilight-coloured glance on his frame.

Because he knew it could never happen. Not like this, not between them. Not only because they belonged to different species, because their life spans were completely different. But because their priorities were different. Because Knives was nevertheless his priority and would always be, with the way he was reaching out to their sisters and absorbing them with no regards to stop the growth of the black hair, thus pausing the process of decay they were both going through.

So really, he was back to the beginning. But worse, now that he knew the nature of Meryl's feelings for him.

Bad luck… was a given. For some reason, it made its personal and very serious obsession to chase him down relentlessly while Lady Luck rejoiced on simply ignoring him and his pleas.

But those three fatalities weren't all, of course.

One has to take into account the mistakes, all of them, which he made along his long life. With Knives… putting countless people's lives in danger by simply meeting them… lowering his guard for a sheer moment…

Vash truly should know better, shouldn't put his hopes too high.

That was the way his life had been, is and will be.

The life of a hero for a few… the life of Diablo for most.

_Owari_

* * *

**Vocabulary:  
Owari:** The end.


	54. Yin Yang

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Perhaps  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **General/Drama  
**Pairing(s):** None.  
**Verse:** Manga (right after Legato's death).  
**Warnings:** Some violence, some implicit spoilers.  
**Summary: **Twins. The genetic information of one was the copy of the other's. Their traits and physical appearances are mostly the same, diverging only at some points. And their similarities ended there.

* * *

ºººººº **Yin Yang** ºººººº

The insurance girls and even the goddamn priest were likely to say that, if a comparison was made, Knives would be dubbed as the dark, evil twin, and Vash, the innocent, dragged-along poor younger brother.

Vash begged to differ.

Perhaps Knives had a twisted personality, a so-called "evil" side. That part of him that loved to see humans suffer, hear their screams, drink their confusion and dread, enjoy their terror. That would be the well known killer of millions.

Perhaps.

So maybe he'd agree with his friends, if it was in the sole matter of personalities.

Thing is, it wasn't.

Even counting with all that, Knives had an excellent control over his powers as a plant. Most likely, those… blades that sprung from his left arm held as much precision as one of Vash's bullets. And the younger brother didn't doubt he could control his Angel Arm with that same aptitude too.

On the other hand, because Vash tried to be more human than plant, his powers have always been neglected. But their potential was still higher than his twin's. And the outlaw paid dearly for that said lenience of his.

In the form of Lost July and later, Augusta. Legato Bluesummer's death.

If one would compare their… abilities, then Knives would be "the Light" and Vash, "the Dark". Because, if there was a need to, the platinum blond could (and would) easily evade the other's mind and control the powers that he could not.

Vash also believed he was the one that, in the end, changed Knives' mind about humans. After all, he was the one who started counting off the differences between their species and the possible problems, even before they came across Tessla.

Speaking of whom, it was Vash who went into a rage-filled tantrum after said episode and didn't tend to his brother, like he should've done. Who knows, maybe that was also a deciding factor. Instead, he attempted suicide. Egoistical on his part, another "dark" characteristic of his.

But even before then, _he_ was always the one literally "in the dark". Knives seemed to always have the answer to everything and Vash constantly sought out his opinions.

And also, in a way, he thought that if he hadn't been as dependent of Rem as he had been, if she had shown his twin all that she had shown him, perhaps Knives wouldn't have turned into what he was now.

Just perhaps.

So, once again, Vash was in the dark side and Knives' light had been tainted by it.

Really, in the end, all of it had been his fault.

To whom belonged the yin and the yang now, huh?

Plus, ironically, it was _**his**_ hair that was turning black, not Knives'. _Just one more reason to believe my theory, huh…_ _I guess… for once, I'm truly right, ne, Knives?_

Finally, his eyes opened.

_Owari_

* * *

**Vocabulary:  
Owari:** The end.

**Dark: **Please don't forget to review.


	55. Left Behind

**Dark:** It's sad, very sad, when one doesn't even have the time to sleep, let alone write. Hope this one is as good as the others. Please enjoy and don't forget to review!

Also, I'd like to thank megume for her reviews, ideas and support. Sankyu!

"…" is speech.

_Italics_ is thoughts.

: … : is telepathic speaking.

* * *

**Key-word:** Them.  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre: **Drama.  
**Pairing(s):** Suggestion of VashxMeryl, but not really.  
**Verse:** Anime.  
**Warnings:** Sprinkles of spoilers here and there.  
**Summary: **She really shouldn't keep on forgetting about Milly. It wouldn't do her any good. Them. Her. No, them.

* * *

ºººººº **Left Behind** ºººººº

It was something she had admitted to herself long ago.

Nevertheless, that never stopped the fact from making it hurt less.

The way he kept going. And leaving her. Her and Milly, actually, let's not forget her sweet partner.

In the beginning, he never even truly acknowledged the fact that yes, he was indeed the infamous Vash the Stampede, making their work harder than it already was.

Which, in all honesty, made her feel both more comfortable and more uncomfortable later on, no matter how much of a contradiction that may be.

Comfortable, because maybe, just maybe, it could be better that he was like that, not very attached to them and them not that attached to him and it would hurt less when she had to let him go.

Uncomfortable, because that simply reminded her of just how thoughtful the damned man actually was, never wanting to put anyone – whoever it was, human, plant, animal or even his maniacal brother – in any kind of danger.

Because, no matter how much he pushed her – **them**, the rational part of her mind corrected her, her and Milly – away, she would push back. Perhaps her Derringers weren't nearly as powerful as his .45, but hell if she would let that reflect in her own actions, for she was keen on pushing back even harder and harsher the more others pushed her.

So really, she felt more uncomfortable than comfortable with the whole ordeal, but it mattered not, the issue was still there and that wasn't it.

Glaring at her, accusing her of her unprofessional behaviour, of her attachment to their job's subject…

Though, no matter how grand this thing, this dilemma, was, how she approached it and considered it, well, it wouldn't go away and solve itself.

It had happened there, right at the beginning, as already said.

It had happened once again, later on (much later on), again subtly on Vash's part as he tried to lose her, and her inseparable friend from his side, yet it didn't work.

Then, that time, that forceful and scary time had came and went and this time, Meryl found herself a little scared of this side of the Stampede's. It felt as if she did not know him, his gentle ways and too-soft-for-his-own-good heart suddenly clouded from her gaze, leaving behind a hazy reality where the words "Stay back!" just echoed over and over and over like a mantra that refused to pause.

It seemed like the calm before the storm had passed and the typhoon took over.

But, like all typhoons and other natural disasters (that was what he really was, wasn't it?), it didn't actually take too long and soon, he was back under her watchful eye, even if that did a very little difference.

And there they were now.

After Wolfwood's death, Legato's death, his recovery… he was now up and refreshed, he had eaten and was fit enough to walk, so Milly said it was time for him to go if he really had to go and that they, she and sempai, would follow right after.

The gunslinger had merely smiled at that, a somewhat mysterious smile (and a guilty, sad smile, for seeing Milly and not seeing the priest was really ruining his force of will), nodded at her and opened the door.

Beside which Meryl stood.

For an observer, perhaps they had sounded perfectly casual with their words, little more than acquaintances really.

But it was only because they both were careful with where their eyes strayed.

Both were aware that, as soon as their hues met, it would be the end.

(Because, contrary to Milly, she knew she would not be able to follow him this time. She wanted to. God knew how much she wanted to, but she knew he'd never let her, not this time.)

She would cry. She would cry and hit him like she so wanted and wished to do, tell him about her worries and that he may not return for them, may leave her (**them**, it was _them_, not her, silly Meryl, telling him that on the singular!) there for good and she seriously did not want to face that.

He would not leave. He would not leave; instead he would drop his bag, drop the Punisher, let it fall onto the sand carelessly, allow his knees to make harsh contact with the wooden floor and just wrap both arms around her tiny waist, holding her there to him, close, closer still, and never let go.

But it wasn't easy. It could never be that easy.

So, he'd leave her again. Alone. Without him. No. Not alone. With Milly.

And she'd understand. Eventually.

_Owari_

* * *

**Vocabulary:  
Owari:** The end.

Review, please!


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